Not This Time
by Monado1022
Summary: I used to play DDLC mods to cope with the deaths of my family and friends, hoping to find a happy ending. One morning, however, the game gets a lot more real. This time, I WILL save them all. They won't die. Not this time...
1. Prologue

(_Author's Note: This is a revamped version of the original prologue that used to be here. Currently, I'm not able to write any new chapters due to a broken laptop, so I decided that I'd remake the prologue, since I didn't really like the way I did the original prologue. Anyway, without further adeau, please enjoy the new prologue.)_

Prologue: One Door Closes...

_Ding!_

The small and cheerful ring sounded out into the darkness as the sliding doors closed behind me. I carried a small paper bag in my left hand, filled with Sayori's antidepressants, as I left the pharmacy behind me and began walking down the road. It was almost pitch-black outside, and there wasn't anyone else in sight.

'_Jesus, what time is it?' _I thought to myself.

I let out a huge yawn, fishing my phone out of my pocket with my free hand. With tired eyes, I looked at the screen as I turned it on. The sudden bright light was hard on my eyes, but I eventually adapted and checked the time.

"It's almost midnight!" I exclaimed to myself.

Startled by my own outburst, I looked around me in hopes that no one had heard me talking to myself. When I was completely sure there was no one around, I let out a sigh and turned back to my phone. I opened Messaging and tapped on Sayori's name. As I texted her, I couldn't help but worry for her.

'_Sayori... Why did you keep it a secret?' _I wondered. '_You're more important to me than anyone else.'_

When Sayori finally told me about her depression on Sunday, I just couldn't believe it. To think that my best friend since childhood has been struggling with this for so long and I hadn't noticed... I felt ashamed that I had't noticed it earlier.

Today at the festival, I was able to convince Sayori to tell the others in the Literature Club about it. Yuri and Natsuki consoled her continually for the rest of the festival, but Monika oddly didn't respond much. I thought it strange for her of all people to not care, considering Sayori was her vice president.

Now, I never claimed to be the most perceptive person, but I could've sworn I saw a look of worry on Monika's face when she thought no one was looking. It seemed out of place for her usual self.

I sighed.

"Nothing makes sense anymore..." I quietly lamented.

I finished texting a message to Sayori and hit 'SEND', waiting for a response. Waiting... Waiting... Waiting... Something's wrong.

'_She should've texted me back by now.' _I noticed. '_Oh shit.'_

Worry and determination driving me, my calm walk bolted into a frantic dash down the street. I'll admit, I've never been the best with mental health, but if Sayori wasn't answering her phone when I'd asked her to look out for my name while I was out, there was definitely something wrong.

I ran down the street in complete darkness, using only my memory of going the opposite way as guidance. I remembered Sayori saying that she felt as if her life didn't matter, like things would be better if she were dead. It hurt me greatly to know that she truly thought that way about herself, but it worried me even more to think that she could do something drastic because of it.

The distance between the pharmacy and my house seemed much shorter on the returning journey, which was probably because of my much faster pace and racing mind. Before I knew it, I was dashing off the main road and onto my property. I leaped over the gate, down the path, burst through the front door, and ran inside.

Sayori had been staying with me for the time being, mostly because her parents weren't at home very often and they wanted someone to keep an eye on her 24/7.

'_Got to get to the guest room' _I thought.

My legs carried me through the hallway and up the stairs. My mind, despite barely keeping up, contained a strong sense of dread which had pertained ever since the worry began. I'd heard stories of people having a sudden feeling just like this before a horrible event transpired. I never really believed these stories to be true, but I was having second thoughts now.

"Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease." I essentially chanted to myself in hopes that Sayori was fine.

As soon as I reached the door to the guest room, I froze. The feeling of dread I'd been experiencing had now increased tenfold, alongside a feeling of heaviness in the air. My hand was on the doorknob, but it felt as if I had no control over it. All I could think about was what awaited me on the other side of that door as my hand began turning the doorknob on its own.

_I slowly opened the door..._

And immediately fell backwards. What I saw... what I was witnessing... it couldn't have been real. The smell of blood permeated the air, only greatening the feeling of shock and despair. There, hanging by the neck in a noose, was...

_Sayori's dead body_

"A-AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" I screamed.

I fell to the ground with my back against the wall as my mind was struck with this realization. It was all too much for me to handle. I couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't speak, all I could do was stare on at Sayori's lifeless corpse.

Her body hung limply from the ceiling, only being held up by a rope around her neck. Not only that, but her wrists were slit as well. Blood flowed steadily out through the wounds, down her palms, and eventually dripped down off the tips of her fingers, pooling on the floor in a horribly large mess.

But what hurt me the most... were her eyes.

They were dead. Clear. Glassy. They were the biggest indication of her passing. The high energy and happiness that used to inhabit them was now absent, leaving only a dead stare of vacancy. Sayori... my best friend since childhood... was truly, undeniably dead.

A feeling of deep despair gripped my heart. The world around me went blank as I finally accepted the reality. There was nothing more left in this world for me. Sayori...

She was dead.

"SAYORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

She was dead.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

S^e wa dea#.

"PLEASE, IT CAN'T BE TRUE!"

h# !s ##!d.

"DON'T LEAVE MEEEEEEEEEE!"

**01001000 01100101 01101100 01110000 00100000 01101101 01100101**

SHE

WAS

DEAD

**01001000 01100101 01101100 01110000 00100000 01101101 01100101**

**[The End]**

*Now, for the main event*

_'She was dead'_

Those words were the last thing I saw on my computer screen before the whole thing went black and the game crashed. I slowly took off my headset and stared at the monitor, which now merely showed my desktop background.

I bet you're surprised, huh? I bet you thought that Mc was the protagonist of this story, is that it? Don't lie to me, I understand. Well, I suppose I should introduce myself before we go any further.

My name's Alex, and I'm the hero of this story.

I'm from Canada, I'm 18 years old, and the date was March 31, 2022 when my journey began. I'm your typical high school nerd; slightly scrawny build, gamer, anime fan, glasses, watch, the whole thing. If I could say something was unique about me, I'd probably say that I'm a bit more emotional and supportive than others.

Well, that and the fact that I was completely alone...

Over the past two years, I'd slowly been losing those close to me. It got to the point where I felt disconnected not only from the world around me, but from myself as well. Someone would look at me and assume that I'd lost my soul. Furthermore, I would've agreed with them.

It started on October 24 of 2019, just two days after my sixteenth birthday. A new terrorist organization had attacked my school, killing almost everyone there. I was the only survivor, and my friends all died in front of me.

Once I was finally over the initial shock, I was kept home so I could emotionally recover. However, as you can probably guess, that never happened. It wasn't just the event itself that crushed me, but rather, it was also the intense survivors guilt I shouldered. I couldn't bear the thought that I was the only survivor of such a tragedy that had taken the lives of my friends, so I was unable to forgive myself.

I endured the despair for two years after that. I was finally starting to get over the deaths of my friends, but that progress was quickly halted when my parents were found dead in an alleyway. I was left alone with my fifteen-year-old sister, who took the news even worse than I did.

I eventually found out she hung herself in her room two weeks later, and I was truly, completely alone.

And that brings us to the present, when I was sitting at my desk, playing a mod of the incredibly popular psychological-horror visual novel, Doki Doki Literature Club. I shouldn't have to explain what the game is, because you most likely already know. As for why I was playing it, that probably required some explanation.

Ever since I'd lost everything, pretty much all I did anymore was eat, sleep, and play mods of DDLC. I had become so attached to the characters over time that I saw them as more than just a sprite on a screen. I saw them as people.

I was always a fan of the game with its creative concept and interesting plot, but it was the modding community that really got me into the game. Fans of the game had created such interesting and deep stories with the power of modding, making absolute masterpieces that rivaled the original.

However... there was one problem. Many of the mods end sadly, with either a crushing character death or an unsatisfying feeling of loss. It didn't help at all that I had been diagnosed with depression shortly after the terrorist attack, leaving me feeling even worse whenever one of these endings shows up.

I quickly became addicted to these modded stories and continued to eat them up, even though the endings crushed me emotionally a lot of the time. I understand it isn't healthy, but I didn't know what else to do. That's why I decided that I would stop after playing one last mod:

Doki Doki Literature Club: Not This Time

Of course, you've already seen how that ended...

**March 31, 2022**

**21:30**

'_Why...' _I wondered. '_Why is it always the same?'_

I started to feel tears rolling down my cheeks, the familiarity all too much for me.

'_Why a noose... every time...'_

Sayori always chose a noose for her suicide. It may not seem like that important a detail, but for me, a noose represented the event that left me truly alone in this world. The image of my sister's hanging corpse will never leave my mind, and was only made worse by the constant reminder in Sayori.

"Why me..." I whispered to myself.

I had been pushed to the breaking point multiple times before. But this... this felt so much worse. It was almost as if the mod was made specifically to torture me even more.

"Why me?!" I threw my head back and stood up. "WHY DO I HAVE TO SUFFER?! WHAT DID I EVER DO WRONG?!"

My wails of anguish fell on nothing but deaf ears. I didn't know what I was expecting. A response, perhaps? Maybe pity? I never believed in gods or anything surrounding religion, so I was probably just screaming for the sake of screaming.

Once I finally got a hold of myself, I sat back down limply, my body crashing into the soft leather of my desk chair. My gaze wandered to the bottom-right of my vision, settling on a single wooden drawer built into the desk. I slowly reached my hand over to it, but stopped halfway.

"No, not yet." I told myself, rubbing my arm. "One more day."

I slowly stood up from my desk once more and began to trudge towards my bed. I was both emotionally and physically drained from my outburst for some reason, but I put no thought into it.

I didn't notice it at the time, but I was clearly much more tired than I should've been. It was almost like my strength was being sucked straight out of my body. My thoughts wandered to the characters of DDLC for some reason. My thoughts were not under my control, but I didn't care.

First, I recalled Monika. The president of the in-game literature club and antagonist. After beating the game, you can't help but feel sorry for her. Realizing that her goal is unachievable and destroying the game to save the others... it was quite solemn and sad. Much of the fanbase was obsessed with her romantically, but I wasn't one of those people.

Second, I thought about Yuri. The shy girl who loves to read, but has issues with cutting herself. She's really not the 'yandere' that people say she is. I could relate to her quite a bit, as I used to have serious social anxiety when I was younger. She used to be my favourite, in fact.

Third, my mind wandered to Sayori. The childhood friend of Mc and vice-president of the in-game literature club, hiding her depression from everyone else. With her carefree appearance and childish attitude, she hides it quite well. Just like Yuri, I could relate to her. I know firsthand that depression is a bitch, and Sayori's suicide cuts me so much deeper because of it.

Finally... Natsuki. My favourite of them all. She's the aggressive girl, a 'tsundere' if you will. With her abusive dad and issues with bullying, I can't help but feel bad for her the most. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like a lot of others share my point of view. A lot of mods that revolve around Natsuki end in her death, or the death of Mc. A popular example would be Exit Music, but you all probably know about that.

My body collapsed as soon as it touched my bed. My world went dark as my head lay on the pillow, me having somehow aimed to land on it. I stared ahead blankly while my tunnel vision shrunk more and more, eventually disappearing altogether...

...

_"Do you want to change your fate?"_

_"What?"_

_"Do you want to keep going?"_

_"I... don't know..."_

_"Help me..."_

_"Huh?"_

_"I will give you a second chance. Please, save them all..."_

_"Waaaaiiiiittttt... wwwwwhhhhhooooo'sssss ttttthhhhheeeeerrrrreeeee..."_

End of Prologue


	2. Chapter 1: New Game Plus

Chapter 1: New Game+

Something didn't feel right. No, that's not it. Nothing felt right. I hadn't even opened my eyes yet, but I could just tell.

There was a loud beeping from an alarm clock, but not my alarm clock. My alarm clock was lower pitched and played in intervals of four. This one was much higher, and played one beep per tick.

Without even opening my eyes I tried to reach for the snooze button, only to find my hand touching a bedpost. '_What the hell?' I thought 'My bed doesn't have posts.'_

Thoroughly confused, I opened my eyes to barely a squint. The room I was met with was not my room, but seemed somehow familiar. Glancing off to my right, I found the alarm clock on a wooden bedside table. After slamming my fist down on the power button, I began to take in my surroundings.

I was lying in a double bed covered with a grayish-tan blanket. To my immediate left was a large window decorated with lightless curtains. Looking straight ahead, I could see a desktop sitting on a wooden desk with an office chair pushed up against it. On the far corner of the right wall, I could see a wooden door leading outside. Directly to my right was a television stand housing many storage shelves. Looking closer, I noticed that all of them were taken up by video games that I owned back at home. Finally, on the wall behind me to the right was a closet filled with miscellaneous clothes, including what looked like a Japanese school uniform.

Looking back at the bedside table, I was able to locate my glasses. After putting them on, I discovered a piece of paper on that same table. I reached for it and brought it closer to my face. It read:

_Dear Alex,_

_If you are reading this, it means my experiment worked. There's no real easy way to explain this, but I'll try my best to make it simple. To put it short, I have pulled you into the world of the video game that you know as "Doki Doki Literature Club." You may be wondering why I've done this, or how. I would prefer to tell you that information in person, so please be patient. I've modified the memories of Mc and Sayori, so they already know you. They remember you as a childhood friend that they met while temporarily going to school in Canada. You are a recent transfer student to their school, and you are staying with Mc for the time being. They know nothing more. Good Luck!_

_-Monika_

No sooner than I finished reading that letter, I began to hear footsteps from the other side of the door. I immediately hid the letter under the covers and faced the door as the knob started to turn.

When it opened, I was met with a Japanese boy who looked to be about eighteen with light-brown hair and yellow eyes. He had a mostly average build with a slight bit of lankiness to him, and was wearing a school uniform identical to the one that I saw in the closet next to me. He had an expression of minor annoyance on his face.

"Hey, Alex? If you hit that alarm clock any harder, I'm pretty sure you'll break it." he pointed out.

I was stunned silent for a few seconds, but I was eventually able to find my voice.

"Uh... S-Sorry, Mc. It's a habit." I responded sheepishly.

The annoyed expression faded from his face and was replaced by a mellow smile.

"Jeez, Alex. I knew you'd be nervous since it's your first time going to a Japanese school, but I didn't think you'd be stuttering like this!" He said, laughing.

I nervously laughed with him, which gave me about four seconds to ponder over what was going on. So, I was sucked into the world of DDLC, Mc and Sayori already knew who I was, and I was going to be staying with Mc for the time being. Honestly, this raised more questions than it solved, but at least I understood the basic situation I was in.

"Yeah. Um, that's the uniform for the school, right?" I pointed to the uniform in my closet.

"Yup. That's it. Sayori and I already bought all the things you'll need for school. Now get out of bed! If you don't hurry up, we'll be late!" He left the room, shutting the door behind him.

I fell out of bed and made my way to the closet. As I reached for my uniform, I noticed something strange about the other clothes. Opening the closet up a little more, I was able to get a good glimpse of the rest of the clothes. They were normal clothes that no one would really take note of, but what shocked me was the fact that all of them were mine from home! So not only was I brought here, but all of my stuff was too!

Looking even closer, I was able to spot the safe where I stored all of the money that I'd inherited from my parents. Just looking at it caused my eyes to well up with tears, so I quickly grabbed my uniform and closed the closet door.

After putting on my school uniform (which was a bit stiff), I walked over to the door out of my bedroom. Grabbing the doorknob, I thought about that letter Monika wrote me. If I wanted to know about why I was here, I needed to talk to her. That meant I needed to find her. Since Sayori will be bringing Mc to the Literature Club, I should go along with them.

So, I had a game plan, and all I needed to do was execute it. Knowing what I needed to do, I slowly turned the knob and opened the door.

Despite the fact that I'd never been in this house before, I somehow already knew the floorplan perfectly. I made my way to the kitchen, where Mc was sitting down at a table eating a bowl of cereal. There was a second bowl on the other side of the table. He watched me as I walked into the kitchen.

"So how have you been these past years, Alex?" He asked.

"Not bad. There were some rocky parts, but nothing too serious." I responded. I wasn't sure if that would be considered a lie or not, since the events of my past technically never occurred in this world.

"Yeah, same here. Sayori's been trying to get me to join her club recently, but I'm not really sure about it." Mc said.

I kind of found this funny, considering he promised her that he'd check it out today. I sat down in front of my bowl of cereal and started eating. After a few seconds of eating with nothing said, I decided to break the silence.

"So how has Sayori been holding up? I'm excited to see her again after all these years."

"Oh, she's been doing pretty well. She literally hasn't changed a bit. She's still the carefree, childish, happy little girl she was ten years ago."

'_Ten years? Okay, so I "met" Mc and Sayori when we were all eight. Got it.'_

I stopped at this thought and mentally chuckled. Despite not knowing me in real life, Mc and Sayori remember me as a childhood friend. On top of this, I knew everything about them, despite not ever meeting them in real life. It struck me as ironic.

"Uh, Alex? Are you okay? You've kind of been staring off into space for a bit." Mc pointed out.

Mc's voice instantly jolted me out of my thoughts, and made me realize that I'd been staring at my bowl of cereal for a full twenty seconds.

"Oh, um, I'm fine. Just thinking about what you said about Sayori's club. What's it about?" I inquired.

"I'm not sure what it's about, actually. All Sayori told me is that it's a new club and that she wants me to join. Why do you want to know?" He responded.

"Well, since it's a new school for me, I was thinking I could join a club to get to know a few more people there. When you said that Sayori was in it, I thought that it would be a good opportunity. Considering it's a small club as well, it would be perfect for me to join." That was only partially a lie. I wanted to meet all the members of the Literature Club, but I also needed to see Monika so she could tell me why she brought me here.

"Interesting. Well, you can ask Sayori about it later. I told her to make sure to get up earlier today so we don't have to wait for her. She's been having some problems waking up. I'm pretty sure it's because she stays up really late for some reason."

'_No, Mc. It's because she has depression!' _I frustratingly thought.

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll wait till then."

We continued to eat our breakfast in complete silence. Back at home, I always wanted to move to Japan when I grew up. I knew that I'd get there eventually, but I didn't think that it'd be quite like this. As we ate, my thoughts drifted to the possibilities of this world.

Out of all the girls at the Literature Club, my favourite was always Natsuki. I've always thought that I had more in common with Natsuki than any of the other girls. That, and with the amount of shit that she's had to go through (with her father abusing and starving her), she deserved a happy life. If I had the chance to stay here and help her, I would take it.

By the time we were done eating, it was already almost time to go. Since I didn't want to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of a class, I decided it would be best if I went before we left.

"Hey, Mc. Before we leave, I just need to go to the bathroom really quick. I'll be right back." I got up and walked in the direction of the bathroom.

*Five minutes later*

I walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind me. Walking to the kitchen, I saw that Mc wasn't there anymore. Then, from the living room, I heard his voice calling out.

"Hey, Alex! I'm in here! Someone wants to see you!"

Hearing this, I had a pretty good idea about who this "someone" was. Walking into the living room, I saw only a blur of tan and coral pink before the force of a brick wall slammed into me, barely leaving me standing. Next thing I knew, Sayori had me in a vise-like hug that would be difficult for a professional bodybuilder to break out of.

"Alex! It's been so long!" She exclaimed, not letting up with her full body chokehold.

"H-hey S-Sayori. Um... ribs..." I barely squeaked out.

Realizing that she was making my lungs collapse with her hug, she quickly let go of me, looking embarrassed.

"Heh. Sorry, Alex. I just haven't seen you in forever! It's so nice to see you again!" She hugged me again, but a little more gently.

'_Jesus.'_ I thought. '_How would anyone guess that this little ball of sunshine had depression?'_

This thought reminded me of just how much pain Sayori was hiding, and how much she was suffering. I assume that I failed to hide my expression, because Sayori suddenly looked very concerned.

"Alex? Are you alright?" She let go of me.

Her voice snapped me out of my stupor, and I quickly responded with: "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just weird seeing you after all these years. It's amazing to see you, too."

This seemed to cheer her up, and her smile returned.

"Okay!" She said, surprisingly happily.

Before our conversation could continue, Mc's voice rang out from behind Sayori.

"Hey, guys? If we don't leave soon, they're going to close the gates before we get there."

The three of us exchange glances, and then start making our way to the front door. When we got there, Mc stops in front of a storage closet to our right, next to the door. He opens it and reaches inside, pulling out two backpacks. He holds one out to me. I take it.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just made a few sandwiches for your lunch. Hope that's okay." He said

"Oh, it's fine" I put the backpack on. "Admittedly, I was really interested to start eating some Japanese dishes. Guess I'll have to wait till later."

Sayori looks at me.

"If you wanted, I could share some of mine with you!" She said with a giggle.

"No thanks, Sayori. You'll need that lunch. From what I remember, you're always hungry." I responded. This made Mc laugh.

"Come on, guys! Let's go!" He said, still laughing.

We walked out the door together, and I finally got a good look at the neighborhood that Mc lived in. In the game, all you saw was a flat picture of an honestly lifeless area. Here, I saw people tending to their lawns, getting ready to go to work, and walking down the street. The three of us quickly joined in with that third category.

As we walked down the street, I witnessed just how carefree Sayori really was. I watched her swinging around poles, jumping in puddles, and even chasing a few birds. It didn't matter if people were staring or not. She just didn't care, and I admired that. However, a thought crossed my mind:

'_Shouldn't she have asked Mc about the club, yet?'_

That thought was followed by immediate panic. Since I was here, she isn't asking Mc!

'_Looks like I'll have to take charge.'_

I cleared my throat to get Sayori's attention, and then started talking:

"So, Sayori. Mc mentioned something about you being in a club?" I inquired, despite already knowing the answer.

She put on an expression of surprise, which then turned into excitement.

"Oh, yeah! I was going to ask Mc to join today!"

"Sayori..." Mc wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he didn't want to join. "You haven't even told me anything about this club OR who it's members are. What makes you think-"

"It's a literature club!" Sayori said excitedly.

Mc had the most confused look on his face. "Since when did you have an interest in literature?"

"Oh, um... well..." Sayori's cheeks started turning red, and she began to look guilty. "I always thought it would be fun to help start a new club. So, when I was told someone was starting a literature club, I jumped at the opportunity. This made me the vice president by default."

Mc had a skeptical look on his face. "So, you don't actually have an interest in literature, but you decided to help start a literature club?"

'_This is going nowhere.'_ I thought. '_I need to get this moving'_

I turned to Mc. "Hey, it might not be too bad. Even if you don't have an interest in literature, you'd still be able to get some new friends. From what I've seen, your friendship circle is more of a friendship triangle."

"Easy for you to say." Mc responded. "Didn't you say that you're the one who wanted to join?"

Before he even finished that sentence, Sayori sprang up and stared at me in curiosity. This expression slowly transitioned into confusion, and then she started to talk:

"How come you want to join? It's your first day of school here." She asked.

"Well, it's simple" I started to explain. "My only two friends at this school are you and Mc. If I were to join a club with one of you in it, I would get to know more people."

Sayori's mood switched back to embarrassment, and the blush returned.

"Oh... that makes sense." She admitted. Sayori could be so cute sometimes. I smiled to myself, and then quickly turned to Mc.

"So, what do you say, Mc?" I inquired. "If I join, then will you join?"

Mc pondered over this question for a few moments, and then responded with:

"Maybe." Immediately after he said that, Sayori instantly perked up and started to jump up and down excitedly.

"Yay! Thank you, Mc!" She jumped forward and tackle-hugged him. Unfortunately for Mc, he wasn't as good at keeping his balance as I was and fell to the ground. After about a minute of trying to get Sayori off of him, I was able to wrestle her off. Expressing a bit of curiosity in the club at this point, Mc started asking about it.

"Sayori, can you tell us some more about the members?" He asked.

"Well, there are three other members." She answered. "Their names are, actually, hang on."

She then took off her backpack and opened it. She pulled out a sheet of paper and then handed it to Mc. She then pulled out another sheet of paper and handed it to me. As she tried to close her backpack, however, she began having trouble zipping it back up. Mc crouched down to help her, but she started talking first.

"Don't worry. I got it. Just read those papers that I gave you." She said.

Looking down at the sheet, I began to read:

_School Club Registration Form_

_Club: Literature Club_

_Room: 224_

_President: Monika Kontororu_

_Vice President: Sayori Yuutsu_

_Members:_

_Yuri Kizu_

_Natsuki Kurushimi_

_Note: This club doesn't meet the minimum member requirement of five. Five members are required by the end of the month in order for this club to continue._

'_Wow. Who the hell came up with this format? It's terrible.'_ I thought. However, reading back over the registration form, I took note of their last names. I don't know why I did, but it was probably just the fact that I had never seen or heard their last names before. Looking up from it, I could see that Sayori had finally finished closing her backpack and was back on her feet.

"Hey, Sayori? Don't you need these?" I asked.

"No, actually. I'm supposed to give them to people who want to join the club, like you. Keep them." She responded. Mc put his sheet in his backpack, as did I.

"Which member do you want to know more about first?" Sayori asked with a smile. I didn't say anything, since I already knew everything there was to know about them. Instead, I turned to Mc and told him to answer.

"Tell me more about Monika. If I'm going to join this club, I'd want to know more about the president first." He admitted. I knew better. He remembered having Monika in his class last year, and he wanted to know her interests so he could talk to her.

And so Sayori started to describe Monika in both physical appearance and personality. Having already known all about them, I just tuned her out as we continued walking. As we walked, my mind began to wander. As I was thinking, a curious thought crossed my mind: Was this world parallel to the original game, or was it parallel or similar to a mod? Or was it its own universe? As I was thinking about it, a headache was starting to form.

Continuing, on, I started crossing out possibilities. This couldn't be based on the original game, because Sayori would be self-aware if it was. Judging by Mc's personality and behavior, it also wasn't Summer Hope or Relapse. I kept on thinking, crossing off countless mods and fanfictions from the possibilities. As I did, the headache kept on getting worse and worse, turning into a migraine. I ignored it.

'_It couldn't be A Brand-New Day, either. Wait, could it be Exit Mu-'_ The headache suddenly became unbearable.

"Ack!" I exclaimed as I fell to my knees, barely keeping myself up with my arms. Mc and Sayori had been walking in front of me for the duration of the trip. They turned around at my sound of pain and a look of fear spread across their face. They rushed back towards me, with Mc going to my side to help me up, and Sayori crouching down in front of me.

"Alex! A-are you okay?!" She worriedly asked. The headache had left by that point, and my head was cleared. I tried to answer, but my throat was completely dry. I swallowed and tried again.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I answered with a smile. This seemed to calm her down quite a bit, which was what I was going for.

"What was that?" Mc asked as he got me to my feet. I thought about it for a second, and instantly connected it with the fact that I was thinking about what story this world was based on. Knowing that I couldn't tell them that, I quickly came up with a lie.

"Just a random migraine. It's a medical thing that's been happening recently. They usually aren't this bad."

Mc looked at me skeptically, but Sayori looked convinced. As soon as we started walking again, she asked me:

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean, that headache seemed serious."

I sighed. "Sayori, I can assure you that I'm fine."

She looked like she wanted to press me more, but conclusively decided to take my word for it. Sayori finished telling us about the other club members (in a surprising amount of detail, I might add) and we spent the rest of the walk to school in silence.

After arriving at the school, I was told to go to the principal's office so I could get my timetable and locker location. I bid Mc and Sayori farewell and made my way there. It took me a while to find the principal's office, and included multiple moments where I had to ask for directions. However, I eventually found it.

I walked through the doors and found myself in the reception area. Behind the desk was a thin woman who looked to be in her late 30s early 40s. She looked up from her computer and said in a cheerful tone:

"Hello! You must be Alex. If you would come over here, I'll get what you'll need."

I walked over to the desk and the receptionist handed me two sheets of paper. I looked down at them. One of them was the timetable for my class schedule, and the other was a map for the school that showed both floors. Looking closer at the map, I saw a small circle in one of the corridors, marking off where my locker was.

"Alright, get along now. Wouldn't want to be late on the first day!" She said, despite the fact that there was still twenty minutes until my first class. I left reception and made my way down the maze of corridors to find my locker.

My locker, it turned out, was in an area of the school where none of the other lockers were being used. This meant that I would be the only person in this area when I needed something from it. In fact, the area wasn't really used at all. It was just a long line of unused lockers in a really out-of-the-way part of the school. There weren't even any classrooms.

I opened my locker and began to unpack my backpack. Inside, there were two binders, a water bottle, and a bento box. Looking inside the bento box, I saw a simple peanut butter and jam sandwich. Pretty basic, but so is Mc. My binders had been labeled as AM and PM, supposedly representing they should be used during only my first half and second half of my classes respectively.

Putting my backpack, PM binder, and bento box in my locker, I closed it and picked up my AM binder and water bottle. The water bottle was just a simple blue plastic one with a retractable drinking straw. Looking down at my timetable, I began to read it.

"Math, science, history, and geography." I said to myself. "I couldn't think of a more basic schedule if I tried." I started making my way to math.

*one class later*

I never found math difficult. People are always saying that math is their worst subject, but that's never been the case for me. Anyway, after breezing through math, I looked down at my timetable to find my science class.

As I walked into my science class, I noticed two things: There were pre-assigned desks as was shown on the board, and the desks were pushed up together in groups of two. Sitting down at my desk, I started thinking of a plan to talk to Monika at the club. After about five seconds of thinking, however, I was interrupted by an annoyed girl's voice off to my right.

"Excuse me, but you're in MY seat!"

Startled, I looked up at the voice's owner, finding myself looking at a short girl with pink hair. The expression on her face expressed major annoyance over such a minute thing, and she was carrying a small, pink binder and a volume of manga. I instantly knew that I was looking at Natsuki, my favourite girl from DDLC, and the one who's abused by her father.

I assumed she got impatient in the three seconds that I was looking, because she started complaining again.

"Well? Are you going to move, or are you going to keep staring like a pervert?" She said, even more annoyed.

Looking at the board, I noticed that I had misread it, and that I was supposed to be in the seat to my left with Natsuki to my right. Embarrassed by this mistake, I quickly got up and sat down in my actual seat. Natsuki put her binder down on her desk, laying the volume of manga down on it and sitting in her chair.

Feeling like I had to get on her good side quickly, I tried to start a conversation.

"Hey, listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take your seat. I'm not usually this inobservant." I apologized.

Natsuki sighed, and then started to respond:

"Don't worry about it. I've just been having a bad day." She then muttered under her breath something that sounded like "assholes". Knowing how much her life sucked, I decided to try and talk to her.

"Let me guess." I started. "Did someone bully you because you don't look old enough to be a fourth-year?"

This earned a gasp of surprise from Natsuki, and she accusingly asked: "How did you know that I was bullied about my appearance? And how did you know I was actually a fourth-year?"

Hearing her ask this made me panic a little. I couldn't tell her the truth, but then what could I tell her? Then, I remembered that Sayori told me and Mc all about the other club members. From that, I came up with an answer.

"Sayori told me all about you. I'm an old friend of hers. You're Natsuki, right?"

This put an angry expression on Natsuki's face. I thought it was aimed at me at first, but then she said to herself:

"Damnit, Sayori. Do you just overshare about everything?"

"Hey, it's not that big a deal." I reassured her. "I'm not the kind of guy to make fun of someone for something they couldn't control. I'm Alex, by the way." Natsuki seemed a bit happier after that comment, but still pretty skeptical.

"Anyway, there's actually a reason why Sayori told me about you. You see, I'm planning to join the literature club." Whether or not saying that sentence was a good idea, I didn't know. What I did know was that I saw a series of emotions conveyed through Natsuki's expressions, eventually settling on calm. She started talking in a surprisingly laid-back tone:

"So, you're the "new member" she keeps talking about?" I couldn't lie to her. Even if I got away with it, she would still find out by the end of the day. I wanted to be on good terms with her, so I had to be honest.

"Actually, no. The "new member" she's talking about is her childhood friend, Mc. I recently moved here from Canada, and I'm staying with him for a while. I was thinking I could meet more people through the literature club." I braced myself for the inevitable string of annoyed comments coming my way, but they never came. Looking back at Natsuki, I saw that she was surprisingly calm. Tempting fate, I decided to ask her:

"Um... aren't you going to say something?" Noticing that she'd been staring at me, a blush quickly creeped up her cheeks, and she looked away.

"Oh, well... what do you want me to say? Two boys are joining the club. Usually I would be against that, but you seem nice enough. And if this "Mc" guy is anything like you, he can't be too bad either." She responded.

I opened my mouth to respond, but she swiftly cut me off:

"But don't let that go to your head." She was back to a slightly sour tone. "I didn't say I liked you. I just said you're not that bad. If you do anything to change that opinion, you'll find my foot in a place where you don't want it to be."

I was… surprised for lack of a better term. I thought I could get Natsuki to like me early on, but it seemed that wasn't the case. I was going to try to continue the conversation, but I was robbed of that chance by the bell ringing.

"Okay, class! Eyes up front! My name is…"

*One class later*

Well that was easy. I heard the bell ring, signaling the end of class, and the beginning of lunch. I turned to my right to talk to Natsuki, but by the time I had, she was already walking out the door.

'_That's probably for the best'_ I thought.

Picking up all my stuff, I left the classroom and made my way to my locker. After a five-minute walk, I was standing in front of my locker. I had just finished getting my lunch out when I heard a female voice from around the corner:

"Ah!" It sounded like an exclamation of pain, which was followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor. I heard a second voice, this one sounded male, and a condescending one as well.

"Woops, my bad. Your body is so big, I thought it was a part of the wall." The second voice was saying this as the person who presumably had fallen on the floor was crying. Then, a third voice rang out from a little farther away. This one I recognized as the voice of Natsuki.

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing, Okane?!" I heard quick footsteps, as if she were running closer. "Yuri, are you okay?"

I silently gasped. Was Yuri getting bullied? Who the hell was Okane? I began to stealthily make my way towards the commotion. I peeked my head around the corner, and saw four people.

Natsuki was helping Yuri off the ground, who was heavily bawling. Standing behind them looking proud were two males. One was closer to Yuri, had blonde hair, blue eyes, and had about the same body dimensions as Mc. I could only assume this one was Okane, since it looked like he was the one who pushed Yuri.

The second guy was slightly taller, and looked like the kind of guy who would sleep with two girls in the same motel room one after the other. He had "rich boy" hair and (somehow) red eyes. I changed focus to the situation that Yuri and Natsuki were in. Natsuki started talking.

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?!" She exclaimed. They only laughed in response. Then, the one with red eyes said:

"The real question is: What the fuck is wrong with you? I'd hit you too, but they'd probably count that as child abuse!" This comment pissed me off to no end. No one, and I mean NO ONE, insults Natsuki like that when I'm around.

Natsuki started to turn red with rage, but Yuri put her hand on her shoulder.

"Natsuki, it's not worth it. It was my fault after all... I wasn't looking" Damnit, Yuri. Why are you always blaming yourself? The one who was named Okane responded smugly:

"Yeah, it is your fault. And kid, you should know to not take on people who are twice your size. Even two-on-two, we'd have the advantage." Natsuki started to stand up, but I acted first. I stood straight up, walked around the corner, and announced loudly:

"What was that about two-on-two?" Everyone looked in my direction. "You know, you really should learn to treat women with a little more respect."

Everything froze. Yuri stopped crying, Natsuki stared at me in shock, and the two "rich boys" just stood there, staring smugly. Red-Eyes spoke:

"Heh, you don't look like much. You really want to get beat up in the name of a couple of freaks?" Despite the sudden situation, I already knew exactly what to say.

"First off, they aren't freaks. They're better people than you could ever hope to be." I stood there, steadily. "And second off, whoever said anything about a fight?"

Both of them looked confused. '_Well,' _I thought '_Looks like I'll have to dumb it down for them.'_

"Let's look at the situation here." I continued. "There's three of us, and two of you. Even if both of you attacked us, one of us would still be able to go and get a teacher."

I could physically see the rage building up inside of them. Wanting to get this over with, I continued even further:

"Right now, you have two options: You could attack us and get caught, or you could _fuck off_. So, which will it be, boys?" They stared at me with pure hatred after I said that. Despite this, I didn't feel in any way that I'd made a bad choice.

After a few seconds, Okane slowly said: "Alright, fine. But know this: You're messing with people you don't want to mess with. You'd better watch your god damn back from now on." He grabbed Red-Eyes' shoulder, turned around, and started walking away.

Looking behind me, I could see Natsuki attempting to comfort Yuri. I walked over to them and crouched down in front of Yuri. She looked up with tears in her eyes, but said nothing.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked gently.

She wiped her tears from her eyes. "W-why did you do that? You don't know me, you don't know them, it was all my fault!"

I glanced at Natsuki, then looked back at Yuri. "Actually, I do know who you are, Yuri." This made her gasp, then stare at me in fear, so I quickly added: "I'm not a stalker! I'm an old friend of Sayori's. She's told me all about you. I've been thinking of joining the literature club." Her mood calmed slightly after that.

"Oh, um... t-thanks then. I've never had anyone stand up for me like that before." She timidly responded. "I-I saw you looking at Natsuki just now. Do you two know each other?"

"Yeah, actually. We have the same science class." I said. Natsuki stared me down.

"Uh! Don't just announce that to the world! Dummy..." Natsuki said, annoyed.

"Er... anyway... who were those guys?" I asked.

Natsuki cut in here. "Their named are Okane Burondo and Chad Dickson."

I stared at her. "Of course, his name is Chad Dickson. Why wouldn't it be?" I said mostly to myself. Natsuki and Yuri looked at me in confusion. I guess they just didn't get the joke.

"Never mind that. Anyway, what happened?" I asked.

Yuri's face had dried completely from her tears. She looked at me and said:

"I-it was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was-" But she was interrupted by Natsuki.

"Oh, bullcrap! That asshole Okane just barreled into you from around the corner!" Natsuki aggressively explained. I felt that this conversation was getting a bit too heated, so I decided to try to calm things down.

"Alright, alright." I said. "Let's just move on. Why don't we all just make our way to the cafeteria? Sayori and Mc are probably there. Sayori and I could introduce you." Yuri looked confused by that sentence, and I mentally kicked myself. She didn't know about Mc yet!

"Mc is the new member that Sayori is bringing in. He's her childhood friend." I quickly explained. Yuri looked even more nervous than before, which wasn't quite the reaction I was looking for. It was at this point that I had run out of things to say. Luckily, Natsuki chimed in.

"Hey, don't worry, Yuri." She said surprisingly gently. "If Mc is anything like Alex, he can't be that bad." I was shocked by how reassuring Natsuki's voice was. I knew she was secretly very sensitive, but I never thought she could be this caring to someone.

After a few seconds of nervous consideration, Yuri stood up. "Alright. Let's go." She suddenly sounded very confident as she picked up her purse. Something that I hadn't noticed before now was that, instead of a binder, Yuri had a dark-blue purse.

"_Huh." _I thought. "_Guess she just doesn't get much homework."_

I was about to lead the way, but then noticed that I had absolutely no idea where the cafeteria was.

"Hey, uh... can one of you lead the way? I don't know where the cafeteria is." I admitted. Yuri looked at me in curiosity, while Natsuki smugly grinned.

"Heh. Look who needs help now." She teased. I normally would've gotten angry at this comment, but I let it slide since she needs these victories. At least until I help her. "Follow me." She started walking down one of the halls, while Yuri and I trailed behind her.

"So, uh, you're new here, right?" Yuri asked as we walked.

"Yeah. I'm a transfer student from Canada." I responded. "I'd always wanted to move to Japan, but this isn't exactly how I saw it happening." Yuri let out a curious sound.

"Wait, what? Why would you want to leave Canada? I heard it was an amazing place." She confusedly said. I fake laughed.

"Actually, it's starting to go downhill. It's not as bad as America, but it's getting there." I looked over to Yuri to see her reaction. She was staring at me in curiosity.

"That's it?" I heard Natsuki say. "You left because the country was going downhill? That's not much of a reason." I had a sudden pang of sadness. There was a deeper reason as to why I'd always wanted to live in Japan.

I debated over telling them for a few seconds, then decided to not tell them. They just met me, and it would be weird to tell them about my sad past right off the bat. Before I knew it, Natsuki stopped walking at the doorway to the cafeteria.

"Well, here we are. After you, Alex." She said in a condescending tone. I was confused as to why Natsuki was letting me go first, but I wasn't going to ask. I walked past her and entered the most beautiful cafeteria I'd ever seen.

It was a very large room, about the size of a small parking lot. It was a section that jutted out from the rest of the school, and each wall was made purely of glass, giving an amazing view of the outside. Instead of benches, there were tons of booths throughout the cafeteria. Every two booths, there was a small garden of brightly coloured flowers acting as a divider.

I barely had any time to take any of this in before I heard an excited voice from across the cafeteria:

"Hey, Alex! Over here!" I searched in the direction from where I heard the voice, and saw Sayori sitting at a booth with Mc. Sayori was waving her arms in the air with reckless abandon, while Mc was looking at me with a smile on his face.

Yuri peeked around my shoulder and asked: "I-is t-that Mc?" She sounded much more nervous than normal, which was a really big accomplishment.

"Yeah, that's him. Don't be nervous, Yuri. Natsuki and I are here." I looked back at Natsuki, who was giving me a look of surprise.

"Come on, let's go." I began to make my way towards the booth where Sayori and Mc were sitting, Yuri and Natsuki in tow.

Mc and Sayori looked at me in surprise when they noticed Yuri and Natsuki. Mc's expression never changed, buy Sayori's quickly changed to excitement. We stopped at the booth, where we took our seats. I was sitting next to Mc, while Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri sat across from us.

"So..." Sayori started with a smug look on her face. "I see you've met Nat and Yuri, huh?" I was shocked by how smug she sounded. Yet more surprises from these girls.

"Well, with how descriptive you were when talking about them, it was pretty easy to figure out who it was that was sitting next to me in science." I responded, equally smugly.

"Ahem." Natsuki cleared her throat. "Are you going to introduce us to Man Meat over here, or are you going to leave us hanging?" I opened my mouth to introduce them, but Sayori beat me to it.

"Oh! This is Mc, my best friend! Mc, this is Natsuki," she gestures to Natsuki. "and this is Yuri!" She gestures to Yuri.

Everyone at the table instantly stared at Sayori, who was happily eating from her bento box, completely oblivious to our stares. Feeling awkward from Sayori's introductions, Mc began talking.

"So... yeah. I'm Mc. Nice to meet you two." He said. "I'm a fan of video games, anime, and manga. I was actually wondering if one of you could help to expand my horizons on literature."

"Wait, what?" I was so confused. "Just this morning, you were complaining about having to go to the club. What changed your perspective so much?" I inquired.

"Well, Sayori's been talking to me non-stop throughout the entire morning about the literature club, and I guess I finally saw what was wrong with my lifestyle." Mc answered. Before I could process this sudden change in attitude towards literature, Yuri piped up.

"Oh, um. I-I could h-help you with t-that." She said, stuttering. "I'm a b-big fan of fantasy novels. I w-was thinking that I could m-maybe introduce you to t-these kinds of b-books." A blush began to make its way up her cheeks. She snapped her gaze away.

"Hey, thanks Yuri." Responded Mc. "Also, you don't need to be nervous. It's not like I'll hate you if you do something wrong."

'_Huh, I guess Mc is a lot better with people than I anticipated.' _I thought. Yuri peeked back at Mc.

"Oh... okay then." She turned her head back to face Mc. "Thank you, Mc. It means a lot to me." She smiled warmly. Suddenly, Sayori exclaims:

"Look! It's Monika!" I look in the direction she's pointing, and sure enough, there's Monika walking into the cafeteria. She sees us, and a look of relief washes over her face. She walks over to our table and looks at me.

"Hello. You must be Alex. Pleased to meet you." She extends her hand. I shake it.

'_Alright. This is the moment of truth.' _I thought. '_I need to talk to her in private, but I need to make it discreet to the others.'_

"Pleased to meet you too, Monika. Say, I was thinking about joining the literature club. Is it okay if I ask you a bit about it in private?" I asked. I gave her a gaze to tell her to play along. She seems to get my message, and starts talking again.

"Of course, Alex." She responded. "Follow me." She started walking to a door leading outside. I stand up, ignoring the weird looks the others are giving me, and follow her outside. She leads me around a corner, to a point where no one in the cafeteria could see or hear us. She turns around.

"Alright, so you probably have some questions." She said.

"Yeah, of course I have questions." I responded. "Why am I here, HOW am I here, what version of DDLC is this, and just overall, what the hell is going on?!" I burst out. I hadn't noticed just how anxious I was for this meeting, but I just needed some answers.

Monika looked off to the side, then back to me. "Okay. I'll explain everything. This is a long story, so strap in." She sighed, and then began talking:

"What you are in is not the in-game world of DDLC. Instead, you're in an alternate dimension that overlaps with the world of DDLC." She paused, letting it sink in. "Because of this, instead of being self-aware in a video game, I'm aware of the existence of all alternate dimensions." She paused again, then continued:

"To make it simple, I've been trying to save the others for the past two years, but I've failed each time." Tears were starting to appear on her cheeks. "I just watched them die. Over, and over, and over again. Every time they died, the world would change a bit and reset. I didn't want to lose my friends again, so I decided to search for external help." Tears were constantly streaming down her face at this point.

"I gazed into your world, and saw you." She paused again. "You'd lost everything, and yet you continued to try to save us. Granted, you were trying to save digital versions of ourselves, but it was still us nonetheless."

"I'm still not completely sure how, but I was somehow able to pull you into our world and edit Mc's and Sayori's memories." She was actively sobbing in between her words. "I understand it if you hate me for what I did in the game, but I don't want that to happen again. I just want to save them."

She was barely talking right now, and spoke between sobs. "I-I understand if y-you h-hate m-me... B-but at least d-do it f-for them..." She stopped talking, and was full-on crying now.

I couldn't take it. No, not the story, but the fact that she blames herself so much. I couldn't just stand there, letting her cry rivers. Without thinking, I surged forward and threw my arms around her.

"W-what are you..." She trailed off.

"Monika... I don't hate you. You were drunk with power, and that can affect anyone." I said, consoling her. "I don't blame you, and if the others knew, they wouldn't blame you either."

"I-I... T-thank y-you." She shakily said.

"Sssshhhh... let it all out..." Monika began crying into my shoulder. Never in my life have I ever imagined that I'd be comforting Monika from DDLC.

After about three minutes, Monika broke away. "Thanks, Alex." She said in a dry voice. "I really needed that."

"No problem, Monika." I responded. "Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

Monika immediately responded. "Yes. I need your help to save the other club members."

"Yeah. I kind of figured that out." I admitted.

"I've always had a plan to save them, but I needed a second person to help me." She started. "Basically, we each choose a club member to help first. The third club member that we won't help immediately will be the one that Mc falls in love with."

"Alright, sounds like a plan." I said. "Anything else I might need to know?"

Monika considered this for a moment. "Actually, yes. Because I pulled you into this world, the walls in between this world and all similar worlds have weakened. To put it short, this world may have "glitches" where the world changes to match things from other similar worlds."

"I'm sorry, are you telling me that this world will sometimes change its characteristics to that of a DDLC mod?" I inquired.

"Actually, that's pretty close." But she didn't stop there. "Oh, and another thing. Have you had a really bad headache since getting here? And by that, I mean one that's so bad that it feels like your head's splitting open."

I think for a moment, then remember the incident from when I was walking to school with Mc and Sayori.

"Actually, yeah. I had one when I was walking here with Mc and Sayori." I responded truthfully.

"That'll happen whenever there's either a glitch, or you're think too hard about this world in relation to other worlds." Monika explained. "In the case of a glitch, you'll get visions relating to the changes occurring. You got all that?"

"Yeah." I responded. "Shouldn't we go back now? The others are probably getting worried."

"Of course. But first, let me give you my number, just in case." She said. I fished my phone out of my pocket and gave it to her. She took it for a few moments and then gave it back. Before we could go back, however, Monika pulled me into another hug.

"Um... Monika? What are you doing?" I confusedly asked.

Monika talked into my ear. "You know what I've gone through, even though you've never experienced it yourself." She explained. "It's the same the other way around. If it's any consolation, I'm sorry for your loss."

I began to feel tears sliding down my face. No one had ever said that to me before. To hear Monika say that meant the world to me that day.

"Thank you, Monika. It means a lot" I said through light crying.

We stayed like that for a few seconds, and then made our way back to the cafeteria. On our way there, Monika quickly stated:

"You know, Alex, you're a good friend."

_Friend._ I was honestly happy with that. I was mostly used to Monika being all yandere, so it was really nice to see this side of her. She'd changed. She wanted me to help her save the others, and that's what I intended to do...

End of Chapter 1


	3. Chapter 2: Planning

_(Author's Note: Chapter 1 and 2 were originally both the same chapter. A bit into this chapter, I noticed that it was getting too long, so I cut it up. Because of this, the lead into this chapter may seem a bit rushed. I apologize for this, and promise to make sure all the upcoming chapters start off better.)_

Chapter 2: Planning

We walked through the double doors into the cafeteria and sat down at our booth, with Monika now sitting on my left.

"Well, you two were gone for a while." Natsuki smugly said. "Anything you two want to tell us?" I felt my face getting warm, but luckily, Monika cut in.

"No. Alex just mentioned that he moved here from Canada, and I got curious as to why he would leave there. This turned it into a rather long conversation." Monika opened her bento box.

"So..." I started talking, the conversation turning awkward. "Anything happen while we were gone?"

Sayori piped up. "Mc has officially decided to join!" She threw her arms around him from across the table.

"Gah, Sayori... ribs..." Mc squeaked out desperately. Sayori let go, blushing. Everyone at the table started laughing, even Yuri. After a few seconds, the laughing died down.

"Well, then." Started Monika. "Since you've officially decided to join, I now make you an official member! Welcome to the literature club!" Monika extended her hand across me, and shook Mc's hand.

"Congratulations, Mc. Now you get to spend time after school with a bunch of cute girls every day." Natsuki said mockingly. Monika quickly responded:

"You speak pretty tough for someone who keeps their manga collection in the clubroom." Natsuki's face turned red as she struggled to think up a comeback.

"M-manga is literature!" She shouted.

'_Damn,' _I thought. '_Do the people around us really not hear this?'_

"Natsuki... how many times do I have to tell you?" Yuri asked gently.

I cut in. "Technically speaking, though, manga could be considered literature." Everyone stared at me in confusion, all except Natsuki, who's face was mostly neutral with a hint of a smile. I continued on.

"The definition of literature is "a book or writing published on a particular subject". Manga technically falls into this category." I explained. Their confusion changed to shock, and Natsuki laughed out loud.

"Hah! Told you!" She exclaimed to Yuri and Monika. I could see the look of defeat and sadness in Yuri's eyes, so I continued:

"Although, I can see why you didn't know that, Yuri. Manga does have more pictures than words, after all." Yuri's smile returned. I could hear her barely muttering "thanks" under her breath, and she continued to eat. Mc looked at me.

"So, are you joining the club, too?" he asked. I already knew the answer. If I was going to help Monika, I had to try my best to save the members. If I was going to do that, I needed to join.

"Definitely." I responded simply. Sayori let out another cry of happiness and tried to hug me from across the table. However, she was just too far away and slinked back into her seat.

"Well, then." Monika started. "Welcome to the literature club, Alex!" We shook hands, then Monika announced to the whole table:

"Okay, everyone! With the addition of not one, but two members, we have cleared the minimum member requirement! We are now an official club!" Following this announcement, Sayori and Natsuki cheered, Yuri happily smiled, Mc and I clapped, and Monika pulled out a sheet of paper.

"Alright, if you two could just fill this out, I'll be able to relay this information to the principal." Monika handed me the sheet of paper:

_Literature Club Registration Form:_

_Name: Monika Kontororu_

_Sex: Female_

_Age: 18_

_Name: Sayori Yuutsu_

_Sex: Female_

_Age: 18_

_Name: Natsuki Kurushimi_

_Sex: Female_

_Age: 18_

_Name: Yuri Kizu_

_Sex: Female_

_Age: 18_

Monika held out a pen, so I took it and wrote:

_Name: Alex ****_

_Sex: Male_

_Age: 18_

I then handed the form and pen to Mc, who wrote:

_Name: Mc Sabishi_

_Sex: Male_

_Age: 18_

He handed them back to me, and I handed them back to Monika. She put both back in her purse. It wasn't until now that I noticed that she, just like Yuri, carried around a purse instead of a binder.

"Well, that settles it." Monika said. "In fact, since you two have become members before today's club time, we'll be able to have normal club activities today instead of an introduction meeting." I could tell that she was thinking the same thing as me: This meant that we'd get an extra day to help the club members.

This extra day would help so much in the long run, allowing us to figure out which girl Mc would fall in love with earlier. We spent the rest of lunch in silence. I knew what I had to do, and I knew how to do it. I would identify who Mc likes, then text Monika tonight to assign club members to each other.

Before I knew it, the bell signaling the end of lunch rang out. The six of us packed up all of our stuff and stood up. We said our goodbyes and split up in search of our next classes. Looking down at my schedule, I saw that my next class was history. However, when I tried to find my map of the school, I noticed that I didn't have it.

I frantically searched through my pockets, binder, and even bento box, but I just couldn't find it. Then, I heard a gentle voice from behind me.

"Hello, Alex. Are you lost?" I turned around to see Yuri standing there.

"Yeah, actually. Do you know where this classroom is?" I showed her my timetable. She studied it for a few seconds before talking.

"Oh! It appears we have the same class." She stated. "Follow me." She walked past me down one of the hallways. I followed.

After a few minutes of walking, she stopped in front of a classroom. She moved aside, making a gesture for me to go in first. I held up my hand.

"No, ladies first." I said. A small blush creeped up her neck, so she quickly thanked me and walked inside.

Walking in, I noticed that there were only two vacant seats at the back, and they were right next to each other. Yuri sat down at the one to the left, and I sat down to her right. I could tell that she was slightly uncomfortable from sitting right next to me, so I tried to start a conversation to distract her.

"So, Yuri, what type of book do you like to read most?" I inquired. She was surprised by my question, but managed to compose herself.

"I'm a big fan of novels that build up deep and complex fantasy-like worlds." She flowingly said. "The way that an author can take advantage of the reader's total lack of imagination and completely throw you for a loop is just so interesting to me."

"So, stuff like Rick Riordan or J.R.R. Tolkien, right?" I asked.

"Those are examples of what I read, yes." Yuri was now making direct eye contact. "However, I've recently been reading a lot more horror than anything else. Psychological horror in particular is very successful at changing your view of the world around you, even if just for a moment."

"Yeah, I would have to agree. While I haven't really read any horror books before, I have played some horror games before." I said. "While I don't do very well with body horror, I do really like the ambiance and settings that psychological horror games contain."

Yuri put on an oddly playful expression. "I assume that you're a gamer? You seem like that type."

"Heh. Is it that obvious?" I smiled. It turned out that saying this was a bad idea, as Yuri blushed and looked away.

"O-oh, s-sorry. I d-didn't know that you w-would..." Yuri trailed off.

'_God damn it, Alex! Why did you say that?!'_ I scolded myself mentally.

"Yuri, you did nothing wrong. There's no reason for you to feel guilty." I consoled her. She looked back at me through the corner of her eye, fidgeting with her hair.

"What? B-but I thought..." Yuri again trailed off, but this time more confused than embarrassed.

"Yuri, why do you always blame yourself?" I asked. Yuri didn't answer and looked away, even more embarrassed. Even her social anxiety and nervousness could sometimes outweigh her politeness, it seemed.

'_Welp,' _I thought, '_time to get personal.'_

"Yuri, I'm sorry." As I finished that sentence, Yuri made a small gasp of surprise. She slowly turned her head back to me.

"W-why would you be s-sorry, Alex?" She nervously asked.

I sighed. "I understand how you feel right now, Yuri. You're always feeling like you're doing something wrong, and always worrying that people will judge you for it. I shouldn't have tried to pry you for a reason." A small hint of familiarity appeared in Yuri's expression.

"W-what? But you seem so... confident in your words." Yuri looked confused, but curious. I chose to satiate that curiosity.

"I wasn't always like this." I looked ahead. "Back in grade two, there was a... "situation" going on during recess. There was this gang of bullies trying to take this other kid's phone. They had him cornered up against a wall, and I walked in to help." I paused to let it sink in.

"They took his phone, but I grabbed back. Since I was a stupid seven-year-old, I didn't take note of what the victim's face looked like. So, I just gave it to the kid who was in his spot last." I smiled to myself, recalling this stupid plan of mine. "Little did I know, they moved from that spot and the person that I gave the phone to was a member of the bullies."

Yuri gave out a small giggle. I ignored it, as I didn't want her to feel guilty, and continued the story.

"Anyway, the kid said something like "let's just get out of here" and left with his gang. Noticing what I'd done, I looked at where the actual victim was standing, and felt like an idiot. The kid looked at me for a few seconds, and then left. Ever since that day, I'd had really bad social anxiety, and I never had a friend until grade six." I ended the story and looked over at Yuri. She had a look of surprise.

"But... how did you get over it?" Was all she asked.

I smiled at her. "I didn't."

Yuri looked confused. "What? But you talked to the members of the club so calmly..."

I chuckled. "That's because Sayori told me about all of you. When she was describing you, I could tell that you'd gone through a lot. Maybe not physically, but mentally. She said you had a lot of trouble making friends, so I wanted to help you." I put my hand on her shoulder. "If you ever need help or consoling, just come to me, okay? I don't want to watch someone go through what I have. That's what friends do, right?"

I could see a tear rolling down Yuri's cheek, and she quickly wiped it away with her sleeve. "Friends..." It was as if the word was foreign to her. "I like that, Alex. Thank you." She smiled.

"No problem, Yuri." I smiled back. As soon as our conversation ended, the bell rang out through the school, signaling the beginning of class.

*TWO classes later*

Nothing else interesting happened for the rest of the day. I said my goodbyes to Yuri at the end of History and wandered through the school in search of my Geography class. I was just barely able to enter the room before the bell rang. After Geography, I went back to my locker, packed up my things, and tried to find my way to the clubroom.

After about five minutes of wandering through the halls, I still couldn't find room 224. The situation was made even worse when I turned a corner and almost bumped straight into Okane and Chad. They had smug expressions on their faces, almost as if they were just waiting there for someone to come along.

"Just where do you think you're going, Eskimo?" Said Okane. He smiled, as if he were proud of the racist nickname. Deciding they weren't worth it, I tried to walk by them, only for them to move in front of me with surprising accuracy and speed. I was quickly fed up with their shit.

"I'm going to the literature club." I said through grated teeth. "Now, unless you have more racist things to say to me, I'll be on my way." I shoved my way past them and walked away. It wasn't even five seconds until I heard Chad's voice echoing down the halls behind me.

"You know, you're really pathetic. Defending those lower creatures and all."

'_Great.' _I thought '_They're racist, AND sexist.'_

"In addition, you're a member of the literature club?" Okane judgingly called. "Hah! That explains it! You want to get in the members' pants! A bit of advice, only go for the club president! All the others aren't worth anything!"

Then, from around the corner in front of me, Mc and Sayori appeared, looking concerned. They looked at what was going on, seeing Okane and Chad behind me.

"Oh, look, Okane! It's the Eskimo's backup!" Chad's annoying voice called. "Isn't that the vice president? Hey, whore! Remember us?! You should've minded your own business back then!"

I didn't understand what they were talking about, but Sayori sure did. Tears began rolling down her cheeks as she fell to her knees and put her hands to her face. Mc bent down to comfort her, and rage built up inside me. I turned back towards the bullies and yelled at the top of my lungs:

"LISTEN UP, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS! IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE LIVING, YOU'LL FUCK OFF!"

Turns out this threat didn't work the way I wanted it to, and they just laughed. I could hear the sound of running footsteps behind me, but I ignored them and stood my ground. Okane opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

"CLOSE YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH, ASSHOLE! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK TO ANYONE LIKE THAT!" Apparently, getting cut off really annoyed these guys, because their expressions began to convey frothing rage building up inside them. Okane opened his mouth to talk again, but I cut him off even quicker.

"I SAID CLOSE YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH! YOU'RE TELLING ME TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS?! WHEN YOU HURT ANY OF MY FRIENDS, IT'LL ALWAYS BE MY BUSINESS! THE SHIT THEY TAKE IS THE SHIT I TAKE! AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE SHIT FROM A COUPLE OF RACIST, SEXIST, INBRED, MORONIC, SONS OF BITCHES WHO DON'T EVEN DESERVE THE AIR IN THEIR LUNGS!" Everything turned silent. It was so quiet; I could practically hear their blood boiling.

After about ten seconds of this silent standoff, Okane and Chad ran. No, not away, but towards me. They let out screams of rage as the barreled towards be. Despite never being in any sort of fight, I stood my ground and waited. Feeling oddly calm, I stood there until they were about a meter in front of me. They both swung...

I didn't know how I did it, or how I knew to do it, but I put my hands up and grabbed their fists. Okane's in my left, and Chad's in my right. Standing completely still and holding their balled fists, I said through gritted teeth: "You have just made the biggest mistake of your lives..."

Looks of fear and shock appeared on their faces, but only for a few seconds before I acted. I began squeezing Okane's fist surprisingly hard. He groaned and fell to a knee in pain. I moved my right hand to Chad's wrist and pulled back. I then thrust his balled fist into Okane's face, and he fell over.

As I let go of both of them, Chad took a swing at me. I ducked under it and grabbed the left side of his head. I whacked his head up against the wall to my right twice and let go as he fell to the ground. Okane got up and tried to hit me with a roundhouse kick, but I grabbed his leg a centimeter from my torso. I surged forward and flipped him over, causing him to land on his back. I stepped back from the two, who were starting to get up.

"Well, boys. Do you give up, yet?" I asked smugly. As it turned out, I didn't even need to ask that, as Okane and Chad just ran away down the halls as soon as they got up.

I turned around to see how Sayori was doing, but instead found every member of the literature club standing there, staring in wonder. No one spoke, so I walked over to Sayori and crouched down in front of her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked. She didn't respond for a few seconds, still staring at me. Then, with no warning, she enthusiastically threw her arms around me.

"Alex! That was so cool! Where did you learn how to fight like that?" I was stunned by her reaction. More so that, I was confused by her question. How did I learn how to fight like that? I racked my brain for an answer, but nothing came.

"I... don't know..." I confusedly answered.

Sayori let go, a stare of confusion now on her face. Looking up at the others, they all had the same expression except for Monika. Instead of being confused, Monika seemed to be suspicious. I stood up.

"But that's not important right now." I said. "Let's just forget about this, okay? Sayori, what were they talking about?"

Sayori stood up and opened her mouth to talk, but Monika silenced her by putting her hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, everyone." She started. "None of this is important right now. I understand if any of you are curious about what has just transpired, but what's more important is that it happened. Usually I prefer using words rather than actions, but the fact that Alex has done this in our defense is much more important than how he did it." Everyone quietly muttered in agreement, and the topic was dropped.

"Now, let's all go to the clubroom, okay?" Monika offered. We all agreed and started walking to the clubroom. On the way, Natsuki fell back and whispered to me.

"Hey, what the hell was that?" She asked. I looked at her.

"I wish I could tell you, but I just don't know. That was the first time I'd ever been in a fight, so I guess I'm just a natural." I shrugged my shoulders and kept on walking.

"Best answer you can give? Heh, dummy." But there was no annoyance in her voice. If I'm going to be honest, it was kind of endearing.

We all stopped in front of the clubroom door. I took note of where it was so I'd be able to find it next time. With Monika leading the group, we walked inside the clubroom, which looked exactly like I thought it would.

There were two entrances to the room on the same wall, of which we came in through the one at the back. If you've ever seen the backgrounds of the clubroom, it looked exactly like it, no questions asked. Before I could do anything, however, Monika spoke.

"Okay, everyone. Go about with your normal club activities. Alex, I would like to speak with you outside, please. And no, Natsuki. I merely want to ask him about something." Looking over at Natsuki, I could see a look of disappointment on her face.

Before I could do anything, Monika grabbed my shoulder and began dragging me out of the room. "Come on, Alex. This is important." She said. I walked with her out of the room and she closed the door behind her. She turned to me, but said nothing.

"Monika, what is it? Did I do something wrong? Our plan can't go into action if we're not in the clubroom-" Monika cut me off.

"That's not the problem, Alex." Her tone sounded much more serious than I expected it to.

"Um... okay? What's the problem, then?" I asked. Monika grabbed my shoulders and looked me directly in the eyes.

"How did you do it?" She asked. I was so confused. Had I done something wrong without knowing about it?

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Monika. How did I do what?" As I said this, Monika sighed.

"Never mind. I'll explain later. Let's just go back inside. The others will be waiting, and I don't want Natsuki insinuating something again." Monika turned to the door and went back inside. I went in behind her.

Back in the clubroom, I saw Monika sitting down at a table with Sayori, no doubt making plans for the festival. At the front were Yuri and Mc, already sitting at the same desk reading "The Portrait of Markov".

'_Welp,' _I thought. '_I guess I know who Mc's falling in love with...' _As I finished that thought, the idea that I already knew that these people would fall in love with each other just boggled my mind. I scanned the room, looking for Natsuki, but couldn't find her. Then, I heard a loud crash from inside the closet. Everyone in the room looked towards it.

"Damn it!" I heard Natsuki's voice call out from inside the closet.

"I'll go see what's wrong." I said, and walked towards the closet. Peering inside, I saw Natsuki on all fours, picking up staplers and depositing them into a bin next to her. Her expression suggested that she was frustrated by it. Without saying anything, I walked in, knelt down, and began to put staplers into the bin.

"What are you doing?" Natsuki asked, confused. I looked up at her.

"I'm helping you pick up these staplers. Isn't that what friends are for?" I smiled. Natsuki went back to cleaning up the staplers.

"Hey, Alex?" Natsuki got my attention.

"Yeah?" I led her on.

"About what happened with Okane and Chad earlier..." She paused.

"Listen, I already told you that I don't know how I was able to fight like that." I responded. Natsuki sighed in exasperation.

"No, dummy! That's not what I meant!" She sighed. "Why did you fight them?"

"Well, they were bullying Sayori. I'm not just going to stand by and watch while one of my friends get bullied." I explained. Natsuki let out a "hmm", but said nothing more. We soon finished cleaning up the staplers. As we did, Natsuki placed the container on the shelf and turned to me.

"Hey, are you a fan of manga?" She asked. I already knew where this was going. Instead of just copying what Mc would've said, however, I answered truthfully.

"I'm not the biggest fan of manga, but I do enjoy it from time to time." I answered. "I'm more of a fantasy novel fan, but I'm more than open to new genres." Natsuki looked as if she could barely contain her excitement, but refused to allow it to show. She pulled a volume of manga off the shelf, then showed it to me.

I knew what series it was, but I decided to play along. I leaned in closer to the volume and read it aloud.

"Parfait Girls?" I read. "Interesting name." Natsuki made a sound of annoyance.

"If you're going to judge, do it through that glass." She pointed to a window outside the closet. I noticed the subtle difference in her speech from the original game, but I chose to ignore it.

"Hey, I didn't say it was bad!" I defended myself. "There's a lot more to a series than just its name. "Don't judge a book by its cover", right?" Natsuki put on a small smile.

"Heh. I guess I underestimated you." Natsuki grabbed my hand. "Come on!" She exclaimed, then she yanked me out of the closet by the arm.

She dragged me to the nearest window and sat down. She enthusiastically patted the ground next to her in invitation. '_Wow, she really is excited to share this manga with me.' _I thought. I sat down and she handed me the manga.

"So, what should I expect from this series?" I inquired. Natsuki thought for a few seconds before answering.

"Romance, comedy, and drama." She answered.

"Ah, yes. The trifecta of school-based manga and anime." I said sarcastically. Surprisingly, Natsuki laughed. I smiled. Natsuki could be just so carefree and cute sometimes, especially in person as opposed to just being a sprite on a computer screen.

"Hey, what're you looking at?" Natsuki's words jolted me out of my thoughts, and I realized that I'd been staring at her for a while now. Her expression was one of curiosity, identical to the one she had in the game as she showed Mc her manga for the first time.

"Nothing. Just thinking." I made a small laugh. Natsuki put on a façade of annoyance.

"Well, less thinking, more reading!" She pointed to the manga in my hands.

"Alright, alright." I opened up the manga and started reading. It was about five minutes before I felt a sudden weight on my right shoulder, followed by the sound of snoring. I looking over at Natsuki to find her laying on my shoulder, sleeping soundly.

There was a giggle from across the room, and I looked up to see Sayori and Monika smiling in my direction. Sayori looked like she was desperately trying to resist laughing, while Monika just gave me a thumbs-up. I smiled back, then turned my attention back to Natsuki.

'_Should I wake her up? She might get angry at me, but at the same time I can't just let her sleep for the rest of the day...' _I debated over waking her up for about a minute longer, and decided to wake her up. I moved my left hand over (since my right arm was wedged in between me and Natsuki) and gently poked her cheek. I may or may not have accidentally said "boop" while doing it, but luckily no one noticed.

Natsuki stirred, but didn't wake up. I poked her cheek again, but she still didn't wake. I tried something different by saying her name, which actually gained a reaction. Unfortunately, instead of waking up, Natsuki's right arm wrapped around my torso. This restricted the movement of my entire body.

I heard another giggle from Sayori and Monika's table. I snapped my gaze to them, and saw both Sayori and Monika violently stifling giggles. I shot them an annoyed look, then turned my attention back to Natsuki. I said her name a few more times, but to no avail. This was when I attempted to push her away, but her grip just got tighter.

Then, without warning, she buried her face in my shoulder and I felt my shirt getting slightly wet. '_Is she crying?'_ I thought. '_Probably nightmares about her father. I need to wake her up, fast.'_ I tried to pull away, this time a bit harder. Then, she said something in her sleep.

"Please... don't leave me... with him..." I stopped struggling immediately. She began to cry a bit harder, and her grip tightened. If she was having nightmares about her father, then she must have been using me as an anchor to reality. I opened my mouth and spoke softly.

"I'm not leaving you, Natsuki. I'll always be here." I assumed that she was only talking subconsciously, and that she wouldn't remember anything about my conversation to her dream self. I put my hand on the back of her head to comfort her, and her grip loosened a little. I looked back up at Monika and Sayori, who had gone back to their conversation. I looked to the front of the room, where I saw Mc and Yuri reading "_The Portrait of Markov". _Apparently, they hadn't realized my current situation with Natsuki, which reassured me that I wouldn't get reminded about this event constantly back at Mc's house.

"T-thank you..." I heard Natsuki's sleeping voice say as I also felt her arm let go of me. I looked back at her to find a smile on her face, any sign of previous distress absent. She looked so peaceful and happy while she slept, so I decided to just leave her be and continue reading the manga.

It wasn't long until Natsuki began to stir. I looked at her to find her slowly opening her eyes. I closed the manga and gave Natsuki a smile as she rubbed her eyes and let out a cute yawn.

"Good morning." I jokingly said. Natsuki gave me an annoyed stare.

"Ha ha. Very funny." Her expression changed to mild distress. "Wait, how long was I out?"

"Don't worry." I reassured her. "You were only asleep for five to ten minutes."

Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god. It wouldn't be the first time I slept through the entire club meeting."

'_Because your father won't fucking feed you!'_ I frustratingly thought. '_If I ever meet that shitstain, he'll wish he'd never been born!'_

"Hey, Alex! Earth to Alex!" Natsuki's voice jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, sorry. What was that?" I asked. Natsuki sighed.

"You sure do think a lot." Natsuki said. "I was asking when you were going to continue reading." Natsuki pointed at the manga.

"Well, that would be now." I picked up the manga and continued reading from where I left off. It took a few moments for Natsuki to figure out where we were, but she quickly caught up. Then, she looked disappointed.

"Wait, did I miss the part where Minori trips and drops the cake on her crush?" She asked sadly.

"Yeah, sorry. Is that your favourite part?" Natsuki perked up.

"Anything involving Minori is my favourite part. She's my favourite character. She's always so unlucky, so you always feel bad for her." Natsuki explained.

"Huh. You know, I'm honestly pretty impressed by this manga. I'm usually not into this kind of thing, but I really like reading this." Natsuki smiled smugly.

"I know, right? Do I have good judgment or what?" Natsuki said cockily.

"Heh, you sure do, Natsuki." I began to turn to the next page, but I was interrupted by Monika's voice calling out from across the room.

"Okay, everyone!" Everyone in the room turned their attention to Monika, who was standing in front of a circle of six desks. "It's almost time for us to finish up, so I'd like to talk to you about plans for the literature club while we still have time."

I closed the manga and turned to Natsuki. "Welp, I guess that's it for now." I hold the manga out for her to take.

"Wait, don't you want to know what happens?" Natsuki asked.

"Well, yeah. But this is yours, isn't it?" I responded.

"It'd take too long if we only read it in the clubroom. Just bring it home and read it then." Natsuki stated. I pulled the manga back.

"Okay, then. I'll read for a while tonight, then we'll continue from where I left off tomorrow. Sound like a plan?" I suggested.

"Of course, dummy! Why else would I give it to you?" Natsuki said. I chuckled.

"You have a point there. Anyway, let's go hear what Monika has to say." Natsuki and I stood up and walked towards the rectangle of desks.

"Oh, Natsuki?" Monika started. "Could you maybe grab those cupcakes you made, please?" Monika asked. Natsuki had an excited look in her eyes. She turned to the back of the room and walked towards a plate covered with tinfoil. Yuri turned to Monika.

"Shall I get some tea, as well?" She asked. Monika nodded, and Yuri walked towards the closet. I sat down at the table, with Mc to my direct left and Monika sitting across from me. Sayori sat to Monika's left.

After a few seconds, Natsuki came back with the plate, and Yuri came back with a full tea set.

"They let you keep an entire tea set in here?" Mc asked.

"The teacher of this classroom lets us, as long as it's for a club activity." Yuri answered with a smile. After the cupcakes and tea were set out, Natsuki sat to my right, and Yuri sat to Mc's left. Monika began to speak.

"Okay, everyone! I said we wouldn't have an introduction meeting today, but I wanted to talk to all of you about something, and we may as well tie them together." Monika announced. "That, and I didn't want those cupcakes that Natsuki lovingly made for the club." Natsuki put her hands on her hips and smiled proudly. Sayori looked surprised.

"Wait, you made cupcakes?!" Sayori's expression slowly transitioned to excitement. "Yay! Thanks, Nat!" Sayori lunged towards Natsuki and tightly hugged her. Natsuki made a groan of minor annoyance as she struggled to get out of Sayori's vice-grip. Natsuki seemed to not be in any pain, which surprised me, since Sayori almost choked out Mc and I earlier. Everyone in the room except for Sayori and Natsuki burst out laughing.

After a few seconds of Natsuki's struggling, Sayori finally let go of her own volition, completely oblivious to the scene she just created. After the laughing died down, Natsuki reached for and grabbed the tinfoil on the plate. She whipped it up off the plate, revealing a dozen small cupcakes, decorated to look like kittens. Sayori put on a face of wonder.

"So cuuuuuuute!" Sayori exclaimed. I had to agree with her. For someone who didn't like being called cute, Natsuki sure did make a lot of about her cute. I wondered if she secretly wanted to be called cute, just so she could chew someone out for it.

It wasn't long until everyone grabbed a cupcake and bit down on the sweet, delicious flavour of Natsuki's baking. I bit off half of the cupcake, and tasted the most delicious baking I'd ever tasted. Everyone else at the table seemed to have the same opinion, Sayori most of all. By the time I finished my first cupcake, Sayori was already on her third.

"Sayori, these are for the whole club, remember?" Yuri pointed out. "On another note, who would like some tea?" Everyone at the table raised their hands, except for Mc.

"No thanks, I'm more of a coffee person." He explained. I couldn't relate. I never liked coffee in the slightest. There was always just something that tasted wrong about it, so I just never drank it. I never tried tea before, but I heard somewhere that you'd probably like it if you didn't like coffee. Hearing this, however, Yuri looked disappointed. I tried to save the situation.

"Mc, have you ever even had tea?" I asked. Mc thought for a few seconds before responding.

"Yes, actually. I one time had white tea, and it tasted horrible. I just never saw the appeal of it." Mc answered casually. I was never an expert on tea, but I at least knew enough to know that white tea was the least processed tea of them all. White tea was made more lazily than other types of tea, and was more organic. Mc probably had a taste for more processed flavours.

"Oh, that's why." Yuri's voice rang out. "You must have a taste for more processed flavours. White tea is the most organic of all teas, and is made very lazily. You'll like oolong tea, trust me." Yuri began pouring Mc some oolong tea without waiting for a response, then handed him the teacup.

After studying it for a few seconds, Mc took a sip. "Wow. This is better than I expected. Thank you, Yuri. You have good taste." Mc's compliment made Yuri blush a bit, but more out of happiness than embarrassment. She poured everyone else some oolong tea, and Monika began talking as we drank our tea.

"It would be redundant to introduce new club members that we're already all friends with, so I'll just cut to the chase." Monika cleared her throat and talked as if she rehearsed her announcement many times before. "Since our club has now been registered as official, I believe it's about time we have a daily class assignment and activity." Everyone was paying close attention to Monika's words, even Sayori, who had a ring of icing all around her mouth.

"What did you have in mind?" Sayori asked with a mouth full of cupcake. Monika kept her expression neutral, but I could barely see a look of faint familiarity in her eyes, as if she'd had this conversation many times before. Which she had.

"Poetry." Monika responded. "Every evening after school, each club member will write a poem, and we'll all share them with each other the next day." Natsuki looked a bit uncomfortable at this assignment, while Yuri looked absolutely terrified.

"U-um... I-I d-don't t-think I c-can do t-that." Yuri shakily admitted, followed by her looking away and fidgeting with her hair. Natsuki frowned and looked down, signalling that she agreed with Yuri. Sensing that they were both against the idea, Sayori looked down sadly.

"Aw... I really wanted to read everyone's poems..." She dejectedly said. Neither Mc nor Monika said anything, so I tried to calm Yuri down.

"Yuri, there's no reason for you to feel nervous about this. No one's going to judge you based on your writing." I reassured her. Yuri looked at me through the corner of her eye, but didn't turn her head. I continued on. "Besides, from what I heard, you're considered the smartest in the club. If anything, we should be nervous about not being as good as you." Yuri blushed at this comment, and I could see a faint smile on her face.

"O-okay, then. I'll do it." Yuri quietly stated. Natsuki brought her head back up with an expression of newfound determination.

"I'm doing it too! If everyone else is going to write poems, I might as well take the time to show you what real poetry is!" Natsuki boastfully said. As she finished saying this, the school bell rang, indicating the end of our club meeting. Everyone got up from their seats as Monika made one last announcement.

"Okay then, it's settled. All of you write a poem at home tonight, and in the morning, we'll share them with each other! I now declare this meeting adjourned." Everyone began walking to the door, except for Monika, who was staying behind to clean up. I asked her if she needed any help.

"Oh, no. I can manage by myself. Besides..." Monika got up closer to me and talked in a lowered voice. "You'll need to focus on writing a poem tonight if you want to impress Natsuki." I could feel my face getting hot, and Monika burst out laughing.

I left the room without saying anything else, and bumped into Natsuki. She looked up at me. "Make sure you don't damage my manga." She said, then walked off down the hall with Yuri. From this angle, they almost looked like mother and daughter as opposed to friends. Height-wise, the top of Natsuki's head went up to about my eyes, while she only reached the top of Yuri's chin. I always expected Natsuki to be a lot shorter, but that just didn't seem to be the case. A voice from behind me made me lose my train of thought.

"Hey, Alex! You coming?" I turned around to see Mc and Sayori waiting for me in the middle of the hall. I rushed over to them and made the trek back to my locker. I pondered over whether or not I should put Parfait Girls in my backpack, but I ultimately chose not to, as it would probably damage it. I took my backpack out of my locker and the three of us made our way back to Mc's house. Along the way, I tried to start a conversation.

"So, Mc. What do you think of the literature club so far?" I asked. Mc took no time to answer.

"It's pretty nice. A lot more fun than I thought it would be." He answered. "How about you?"

"I'd say that it's a great club. Everyone's so passionate about what they like, which is something that I can relate to." I responded. Sayori giggled.

"Some more than others." She slyly said. "You think Natsuki had a nice nap, Alex?" My face got warm again, which made Sayori laugh harder. Mc just looked at Sayori and I in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Sayori?" He inquired. Not wanting Sayori to insinuate something, I blurted out:

"Natsuki just fell asleep as we were reading manga." Sayori smiled even more broadly than she already was, somehow.

"She didn't "just fall asleep", Alex. She cuddled you like a teddy bear!" Sayori laughed out loud, this time joined by Mc. '_Shit.' _I thought. '_She saw that part?' _Sayori stopped laughing, followed shortly by Mc. He turned to me.

"Getting a bit of a crush, aren't we, Alex?" Mc mockingly said. Instead of explaining further, I smugly smiled and rebounded.

"Oh, I'M getting a crush? Mc, I saw how close you and Yuri were. Don't even deny the fact that you like her!" Mc's expression quickly transitioned to embarrassment, and he was the one blushing now. He began to stutter.

"S-shut up!" He exclaimed. Sayori and I laughed all the way back, with Mc joining in halfway there.

We stopped in front of Mc's house. We waved Sayori goodbye as she continued to the next house and walked in the door. Looking at my watch, I was surprised to see that it was already 5 pm. Mc walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

"Hey, Alex! What do you want for dinner?" He called from behind the fridge door. I wanted to try out some Japanese dishes, so I just said "you choose" and sat down in the living room to start reading Parfait Girls. After about half an hour, I finished the first volume. Natsuki was right. This manga was a lot better than some others that I'd read before. Granted, I didn't read that much, as I was more of an anime person, but it was still good.

"Alex! It's time to eat!" I heard Mc call from the kitchen. I put the manga down on the coffee table and walked to the kitchen. When I got there, I saw Mc sitting at the dining table in front of two plates. On the plates were two Japanese foods. One, I recognized as sushi, but I didn't recognize the other one. It looked like a ball of rice wrapped in seaweed, and was very basic.

Mc saw my confusion as I sat down and pointed at my plate. "It's called Onigiri. It's seasoned rice wrapped in seaweed with various fillings. Think of it as the Japanese version of a sandwich." He explained. I sat down at the table and picked up chopsticks which were located next to my plate. I'd used chopsticks before that, so I knew what I was doing.

*20 minutes later*

The sushi and onigiri were actually pretty good. For my first time eating Japanese dishes, it tasted pretty damn good. We got up from the table and put our dishes in the dishwasher. Mc turned it on and then turned to me.

"Hey, you're a gamer, right?" He asked. That seemed like a bit of an obvious question at first, but then I remembered that he remembers meeting me when I was eight, which was when I started becoming a gamer.

"Yeah, I am. A pretty big one, too. Why?" I already had an idea to why, but I asked anyway, just to make sure.

"Well, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to play a few games tonight." He stated. I considered his offer for a few seconds, but ultimately declined. I needed to text Monika about our plan, and I needed to write a poem on top of that.

"Sorry, but not tonight. I've got some schoolwork to catch up on." I could tell that he was disappointed, but overall fine with my decision. There are just those times where you want to do something by yourself, but have to ask someone if they want to join in out of courtesy.

"Okay, Alex. See you tomorrow." He walked off to his room. I went to the living room to pick up the manga and made my way to my room.

Opening the door, I was greeted with the room just as I left it this morning. The blankets on the bed were halfway off the edge from my lazy excursion off the side, and the closet door was fully closed, hiding my clothes and a reminder of my dead family. Just thinking about that brought a tear to my eye again, just as it did this morning.

I sat down at my desk and opened up one of the drawers. To my surprise, there was a large stack of paper inside, with a collection of perfectly-sharpened pencils right next to it. I pulled out one of each and began to write a poem. Back when I was fifteen, I discovered that I had a talent when it came to writing poems. I never really did anything with it until now, but I was now doing it to literally save someone's life.

*20 minutes later*

I put down my pencil and looked over my poem. I was surprised to notice that it wasn't in my normal style. Reading it over, it looked more like something that Natsuki would write, which both puzzled and relieved me. I wanted to get on Natsuki's good side. I needed to get her to open up to me about her dad so I can help her.

I left my poem on my desk and walked over to my bed. Sitting down, I noticed that my bedside table had a drawer on the front. I felt stupid for not noticing this earlier, considering that pretty much all bedside tables have a drawer. I wondered what was in there, as I pretty much just had a bunch of random junk in my bedside table back at home. Curiosity getting the better of me, I opened the drawer to discover two picture frames. Both were of a group of people, and both included me.

I picked one up, looking at it. It showed me with three other people standing in a driveway before a house in the countryside. To my left was a girl with long, black hair and brown eyes. She was slim and just barely shorter than me. She was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and black tights. Under her, there was tape on the frame with the name "Caitlyn" written on it. She was my sister, about two years ago, just before my sixteenth birthday. She was thirteen in the picture.

Next to Caitlyn was a woman with short, brown hair. She was the shortest in the picture and was in her late forties. She was wearing a shirt with a flower-design and blue jeans. Under her, it was labeled "Nancy". She was my mother. To my right, there was a tall, balding man about the same age as my mom. He was wearing a green sweater and blue jeans. Under him, it was labeled "Keith". He was my father.

All of us were standing stiffly, with almost-mechanical smiles and posture. This was the last picture I had of my family before they died. A tear formulated in my eye, and it trailed down my face. Reaching my chin, it dripped off and onto the picture. I wiped the tear off the picture and placed it back in the drawer. I picked up the second picture, this one at an arcade. In it, I was standing with two guys and a girl.

To my left was a tall, blonde boy giving me the finger bunny ears. He was wearing a white shirt with a blue and white plaid vest over it and black sweatpants. Under him, it was labeled "James". To his left, he had his arm around a slightly short and thin girl with large glasses and light brown hair. She was wearing a light-blue sweater and blue jeans. Under her, it was labeled "Aurora". Finally, to my right was a tall boy with dirty blonde hair who had his arm around me. He was wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans. Under him, it was labeled "Kyle".

This picture was taken the day of my sixteenth birthday. Unlike the family picture, our smiles looked genuinely happy. No one seemed to be faking anything. This was the day before the terrorist attack where they all died. Again, a tear rolled down my cheek and landed on the picture. It had been two years since they died, but the guilt still weighed me down.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a notification on my phone. I put the picture back in the drawer and slammed it shut. I took out my phone and was stunned by the time it showed: 9:00. Had I really been sitting there for that long, just looking at two pictures? I pushed the thought aside and opened the notification. It was a text from Monika, and we began discussing our plan:

_Monika: So, which club member will you take? We both already know Mc's in love with Yuri, so we can cross her off._

_You: I'll take Natsuki, you take Sayori. We've already been spending time with them, so it'll be convenient._

_Monika: That, and you like Natsuki, don't you? ; )_

_You: So, what if I do?_

_Monika: I didn't mean it as an insult, Alex. You two do fit each other pretty well._

_You: Alright, so we have our plan. You help Sayori with her depression, and I'll help Natsuki with her pathetic excuse for a father._

_Monika: Actually, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about._

_You: What is it?_

_Monika: Do you remember when I pulled you out of the clubroom?_

_You: Yeah. You asked me "how I did it". What did you mean by that?_

_Monika: This'll be weird to explain, but I'll do my best. You see, before I pulled you into this world, I was able to "edit" my own physical and mental characteristics. To put it simpler, I could make myself stronger, smarter, or have better reflexes. I feel I shouldn't need to explain why, correct?_

_You: No, you don't. Continue._

_Monika: Anyway, when I pulled you in, I lost that ability. I don't know how or why, but you somehow inherited this ability from me. This is why you were able to fight off Okane and Chad so easily. I pulled you out of the clubroom because I thought you somehow intentionally took it from me. I feel like I should apologize for that._

_You: Don't worry about it. On a different note, don't you have any names for these abilities? Like, can't we give my ability to have visions a name?_

_Monika: Actually, I already have a name for the visions. It's called "cross-sight". As for the physical and mental enhancements... any suggestions?_

_You: Crossfit?_

_Monika: Very funny, Alex. On second thought, it's better off without a name._

_You: Aww..._

_Monika: So, let's go over the plan. I try to get Sayori to open up to me about her depression while you try to get Natsuki to open up about her father._

_You: Agreed. The plan starts tomorrow. Good night, Monika._

_Monika: Good night. And thank you for this. I really appreciate it._

I turned my phone off and put it on my bedside table. I put my glasses and watch next to it, and suddenly remembered the photos in the drawer. I was the only person in those photos that survived until now. I failed to save them, but this time, it would be different.

I laid down in my bed and closed my eyes. '_I've lost so many people to death...'_ I thought '_I'm not losing those close to me again. Not this time...'_

End of Chapter 2


	4. Chapter 3: Memories

Chapter 3: Memories

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

My eyes slowly opened as I was awoken by the constant beeping of the alarm clock. I kept my head under the covers, hoping to drown out the noise to no avail. Fed up with its infernal beeping, I peeked my head above the covers to locate it. I stared at the alarm clock with infinite hatred. I moved my hand above the OFF-button and...

"TEXAS SMASH!" I yelled as I slammed my fist against the button. The horrid beeping finally stopped, and I was left in complete silence with the exception of Mc's laughs ringing out from elsewhere in the house.

'_I just stole a joke from him, and he didn't even know about it.'_ I thought. I groggily sat up and swung my legs over the side of my bed. As I did this, a sheet of paper was flung out from under the covers. It fluttered through the air for a moment, before landing softly on the floor a meter from my bed.

I stood up and stretched, then took a few steps to the paper. I leaned down and picked it up, turning it around to find it was the letter that Monika gave me when I woke up here for the first time. Not wanting Mc to find it, I pocketed the letter in my school uniform, still hanging in the closet, so I could dispose of it later.

I quickly got ready for the day, putting on my glasses, watch, and uniform. I walked by my desk, snatching up my poem as I did so, and left through the door. I found Mc (again) sitting at the kitchen table eating cereal with another bowl for me.

"Do you only eat cereal for breakfast?" I asked. Mc looked up from his bowl of cereal.

"I eat cereal for breakfast before school, but I cook breakfast on the weekends." He answered. "During the week, I usually don't have enough time or energy to cook in the morning, and cereal is a quick and easy breakfast."

"Fair." Was all I said. At this point, it seemed like Mc was a bit less dense and planned things out more than he did in the game. In the game, he was just a cardboard cutout of a protagonist. Just like with Monika, it was nice to see Mc like this.

The rest of the morning went about the same as it did yesterday. We finished breakfast, I went to the bathroom, and we walked out the front door. Sayori was standing on the sidewalk outside of Mc's house waving her entire arm at us.

"Hi, Mc! Hi, Alex!" She greeted us VERY enthusiastically. With her arm raised in the air like that, I caught a glimpse of something pink behind her. Mc seemed to have seen it too, because he squinted his eyes in suspicion.

"Sayori, what's that behind you?" He asked slowly. Sayori suddenly looked very flustered.

"N-no one! I mean... nothing!" Sayori was desperately trying to cover up whoever was behind her back, but I could already tell exactly who it was. No one else had hair that pink.

"Natsuki, is that you?" I asked, leaning around Sayori for a better look. Natsuki's voice rang out from behind Sayori's back.

"See?! I told you they wouldn't fall for it!" She called, exasperated. She walked out from behind Sayori, exposing her presence to the people who already knew she was there. Sayori looked down, saddened. With me being the only one there that knew about her depression, that expression worried me.

'_Should I try to console her later? Maybe tell her I know about her depression?' _I debated internally. '_No, that's Monika's job. Helping Natsuki should be my number-one priority.'_

"Not to be disrespectful or anything, but... why is Natsuki here?" Mc inquired. Sayori looked back up at us, back being overly excited. Her mood changed as if someone flicked a light switch inside of her, and she was back to the bubbly, carefree girl she always was.

"Nat was walking by my house this morning, and I thought she'd like to walk with us!" Sayori announced happily. Natsuki, feeling a bit left out, jumped in on the conversation.

"It's not like I WANTED to... it was just... convenient..." Natsuki grumbled, trailing off. Sayori laughed, Mc chuckled, and even I couldn't suppress a smile.

"SHUT UP!" Natsuki screamed. Sayori came up from behind Natsuki and gave her a hug, smiling happily.

"You're so cute when you're angry!" Sayori commented. If Natsuki's blood were actually flowing through her veins and NOT being cut off by Sayori's hug, she probably would've turned red from rage. It got weirder when Sayori began to lift Natsuki off the ground with her hug. I walked up to the both of them.

"Okay, Sayori. I think that's enough. Natsuki needs to breathe, you know." I pointed out. Sayori lowered Natsuki to the ground and slowly let go of her, much to Natsuki's relief. She shook her arms to make sure her blood was flowing again as we all stood there.

"If Natsuki's going to be joining us on our walk to school, shouldn't we be going, now?" Mc asked, impatiently. Me, Sayori, and Natsuki all looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement. We all began to walk as a group of four down the street.

"So, Natsuki." I began. "Since you were walking by Sayori's house, that would mean that hers and Mc's houses are on the way to and from school for you, right?" Natsuki took a while to answer. She looked like she was choosing her words carefully, as if she was worried she'd accidentally say something she shouldn't.

"Not exactly..." She answered after a while. "I usually take a side path for my route to and from school because I don't want to deal with the large crowds! Is there anything wrong with that?!" Her sudden outburst surprised me. So much so that I found myself stuttering.

"N-no! I-I wasn't implying that there was something wrong with that! I was just curious!" I defended myself. Natsuki crossed her arms and put on a pouty expression. She looked like she wanted to say sorry, but just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Wait, so if you usually take a different route, then why did you go this way today?" Mc inquired, confused. Natsuki stared at him blankly, like the answer to that question was obvious. After finding out he was actually serious, she sighed and answered:

"Because there was construction on my normal route that was taking up the whole road." She looked at Mc. "Shouldn't that be obvious?" Mc looked even more confused.

"No... that's not obvious." He admitted. "We don't really get that much construction here." I laughed at this fact while everyone stared at me. I just found it so funny that Mc wasn't used to having construction going on around him.

"What's so funny?" He asked me. It took me a few seconds to stop laughing, then I looked at him.

"Back in Canada, there's two seasons: Winter... and construction." I joked. Natsuki and Sayori burst out laughing while Mc just stared at me, more confused than ever. No matter how perceptive you make Mc, there'll always be at least a little bit of density to his personality.

"I don't get it." He said. I sighed and explained it to him. I felt stupid for having to do it, but he joined in with the laughter when I did, which easily made up for it. We continued laughing and joking around all the way to school, where we split up and individually made our ways to our lockers.

As I got to my locker, I walked by a short boy, probably a first year, who looked up at me in wonder. I ignored him while I sorted my stuff out at my locker and turned to him to find him still looking at me with that same wonder-filled stare. It was starting to make me uncomfortable, so I attempted to talk to him.

"Um... why are you staring at me like that?" I asked. He snapped out of his stupor and noticed what he'd been doing. He smiled at me and asked:

"Y-you're Alex, right?" He asked in wonder. I took a step back, wondering how this kid could've known who I was. Looking back at him, he looked like your normal ninth-grader. He was shorter than me, had brown hair, green eyes, wore large glasses, and had the air of an overwhelmed but excited kid. I took a breath and answered.

"Yeah. I'm Alex. Transferred in from Canada just yesterday. How did you know?" I asked. He looked at me as if I should know how he knew me. I didn't.

"How could I not?!" He exclaimed. "You beat up Okane and Chad!" I let out an "oooohhhhh" and started thinking. If this kid knew that I beat them up, then how much of the school knew? Would I get in trouble? Would I suddenly become some sort of school celebrity? I shook the thoughts out of my head and continued on with the conversation.

"Oh, I didn't know it was such a big deal. Have they been bullying you?" I asked. The kid quickly nodded. I laughed. He took a few steps closer and looked at me.

"How did it happen? What's the story behind you beating them up?" He asked. I felt reluctant to answer at first in case it was too personal for the others, so I chose to be a bit vague with it.

"Well, I encountered them in the hallway while I was looking for my clubroom. I pushed my way past them and walked into one of my friends from my club. They began to call her names and she started to cry." I paused to let it sink in, since this was getting long. "I'm protective of my friends, so I turned back to Okane and Chad and began to yell at them. They ran at me with their fists raised, and you should know the rest." I finished the story and the kid was slack jawed in awe.

The bell rang, signifying the beginning of first period. I said goodbye to the kid and made my way to math.

*One class later*

Again, math wasn't very difficult. I picked up all my stuff and walked out the classroom door. As I did, I was surprised to find Natsuki walking by my classroom. I wondered why I didn't see her yesterday, then remembered that everyone has different classes every semester, so she was probably still working out her routes through the school. I walked beside her and her head snapped to me. After seeing that it was me, she exhaled in relief.

"Oh, it's you." She said, relieved.

"Who else would it be?" I asked. Natsuki huffed in annoyance, although I could tell it wasn't directed at me.

"Okane usually bullies me on my way to science." She explained. Again, I just couldn't believe the determination that those bullies had just to insult people. It was bad enough when bullies did it when it was convenient for them, but it was just so much worse when they actively went out of their way for the "cause".

"Well, what if we walked together to science every day?" I suggested. Natsuki's face turned completely red and she began to stutter.

"I-I don't need your protection!" She exclaimed. I could feel my own face getting warm, even though I never meant what I said to her in that way. I quickly tried to explain.

"That's not what I meant!" I told her. I took a deep breath and continued. "What I meant was; they would probably steer clear after what happened yesterday." Natsuki's expression softened, transitioning into a sly smile. '_Uh oh..'_ I thought.

"Oh? Well in that case..." Natsuki began talking in a (somehow) higher pitched voice. "Thank you for protecting me from those bullies, Hero-kun! You're so strong and courageous!" She mocked.

(Author's Note: I'm so sorry.)

Instead of getting embarrassed, I chose to go along with the joke.

"You're welcome, Nat-chan! I could never leave a cute little girl in trouble!" Natsuki's blush returned in full force, somehow even more intense than last time. She stuttered for a few seconds before responding.

"I-I'm not cute!" She exclaimed. She punched me in the arm, which hurt a lot. She had a lot of power in that tiny frame, huh? I rubbed my arm in pain, and Natsuki looked concerned.

"Oh, crap! Are you okay?" She asked, concerned. I nodded my head and brought my hand away from my arm.

"I'm fine." I said. "You know, Sayori said you have trouble getting along with people. If that's true, then why have you been so nice to me?" Natsuki seemed a bit uncomfortable and troubled by the question, as if she didn't want to answer, but also couldn't quite figure it out herself.

"I'd rather not answer that right now, Alex." She stated. "Also, did you just call me Nat?" I took a few seconds to understand what she meant, then realized that I must have unintentionally called her by the nickname that Sayori gave her.

"Oh, sorry. Sayori called you that, and I just kind of..." I trailed off. Natsuki laughed it off.

"Don't worry about it." She said. "I'm not getting angry over something as small as that. I'm not that easily insulted. You can call me Nat." She smiled. It was kind of rare to see Natsuki smile like that. It wasn't a smug smile, it wasn't a fake smile, it was just a smile of happiness. I liked to see Natsuki like that.

We finally walked into the science classroom just as the bell rang. We took our seats and listened to the teacher's lessons while taking down some notes.

*One class later*

The lunch bell finally rang after an honestly long and boring class. The class began to get up and leave while Natsuki and I did the same. As we did, Natsuki turned to me.

"Hey, Alex? Didn't you notice them?" She vaguely asked. I was incredibly confused by this vague question. So much so that I completely froze in confusion, which I didn't even know could happen. I turned to her slowly.

"What do you mean by that? Who didn't I notice?" Before I got a straight answer, someone poked me in the back. Hard. I turned around as fast as I could in surprise, and came face-to-face with the blonde asshole Okane. Looking around, I saw that the teacher had already left the classroom. I sighed and looked straight at Okane.

"What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Want." I forcefully said. Okane had a smug grin on his face, and kept it that way as he spoke.

"I just wanted to talk to the Eskimo. Is there anything wrong with that?" He said like a dick. I put on a (hopefully) equally smug smile.

"You sure are talking big for someone who lost a fight to a gamer the other day. How's that head healing, by the way?" I saw a ghost of anger pass across his face, but he quickly covered it up.

"I heard some little kid mentioning me." He leaned to the side to get a look at Natsuki, but I moved my body to block his view. He shrugged. "Not like it matters."

"Listen, buddy. I don't want to have to deal with your shit right now." I stated. "So, let me ask you one more time before things get ugly: What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Want?" Okane dropped his smug façade and put on a bored expression.

"I'm not sure, Eskimo. Maybe I just wanted to tell you about the rumors." He answered. I knew exactly what he meant by that. He was about to tell me about a bunch of rumors around the club members, but I was having none of it.

"Listen up here, Burondo." I forced a finger at his chest, shoving him back. "I've already heard those bullshit rumors. I don't care about what you have to say about my friends, but I will tell you one thing." I leaned into his face and talked in a tone of pure hatred. "Even if the rumors were true, I'd still defend my friends from you and that pathetic shit stain, Chad. Because no matter what, they will always deserve more than you ever did."

Okane was speechless from what I said. For the next thirty seconds, all he did was stare at me in shock. After that, instead of pushing my buttons even more, he just turned towards the door and left, that shocked expression still on his face. I turned back to Natsuki, who was looking down at her feet. She then talked in a quiet voice.

"Have you really heard the rumors?" She asked. I had to stick with what I said to Okane, or else she probably wouldn't trust me anymore.

"Yeah. I've heard them. Mostly the ones about Yuri." I said sadly. I technically only knew about the ones about Yuri, and that one of them was true.

"Do you really believe any of them?" Natsuki looked up, looking desperate.

"Whether I believe that any of them are true isn't important. Nor is it important if any of them are true or not. What's important is that I don't give a shit about them. I know what kind of person you are, Nat. Same goes for the rest of the club. You're all good people." I told her. Natsuki smiled.

"Thanks, Alex." She said. She stared at me softly, and I could've sworn I saw a feeling of hope and affection pass behind her eyes. After a few seconds, she noticed what she'd been doing and looked away with a blush on her cheeks.

"We should get to the cafeteria." She blurted out. "The others are probably waiting for us." I looked at my watch and saw that we'd been in that classroom for five minutes past the bell. I nodded and we began to make our way out. I followed Natsuki out of the classroom, remembering to dump Monika's letter in the recycling next to the door.

*Five minutes later*

We walked through the double doors to the cafeteria and I scanned the room looking for the others. It wasn't too hard to spot them, as Sayori was (again) waving her arms in the air like a maniac to get my attention. Natsuki and I made our way to the table that the club was at and sat down.

I sat in the middle with Natsuki on my left, and Mc to my right. Directly across from me sat Monika, across from Natsuki sat Sayori, and across from Mc sat Yuri. We all began chatting about random things while we ate, which made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time. I was reminded of all those times I'd spent talking to my friends during lunch at school.

I froze, feeling a sudden pang of sadness. '_My friends...'_ I thought. I lost who I was back when they died. I barely ate, talked, or slept for the two years between that time and my parents' deaths. I always felt guilty for my survival over them. I was never able to face their families after that event, but I was always able to imagine the looks of shock on their faces when they learned that their kid was dead.

Images of the horrible scene flashed through my mind. The mangled body of Kyle, his right arm blown off from the explosion, with his other limbs all bent at unnatural angles. The bloody mess of Aurora's body, crushed by the school caving in, the only thing intact being her pain-stricken face. Finally, there was the image of James being gunned down by a man wearing a gas mask and all black. His body fell to the ground atop the rubble of the school, the last of my closest friends to die.

Suddenly, I was jolted out of the nightmare and found myself sitting bolt upright in a cold sweat on a white bed. My throat felt sore, as if I'd been screaming. My heart was pounding. I looked around me frantically, only to find out I didn't have my glasses on. I quickly noticed them on a side table to my right and snatched them, throwing them onto my face.

I was in the school infirmary laying in a hospital bed, surrounded by six people. From left-to-right, they were Sayori, Mc, Yuri, Monika, Natsuki, and a tall man with black hair who was wearing a doctors' coat. Noticing my awakening, Sayori lurched forward and pulled me into a hug. She began to cry into my shoulder, clearly relieved.

"O-oh, t-thank G-god..." She stuttered. I put my arms around her, thoroughly confused by the situation.

"What happened?" I asked. Mc walked up closer behind Sayori and began to explain.

"Well, the rest of us were having a conversation when you just... blanked out." He explained. "Suddenly, you began to scream and foam at the mouth. You collapsed into Natsuki and started shaking violently. We didn't know what was happening, so we got the nurse and-" Sayori looked me in the eyes and interrupted Mc.

"He said you were having a panic attack!" She cried out loudly.

"Actually, to be more specific," the nurse started, "he had a post-traumatic-stress-disorder-induced panic attack."

I was shocked. Looking around me, I could tell that the others had a similar reaction, except for Sayori, who was looking at him in confusion.

"What does that mean?" She asked with tears still in her eyes. The nurse opened his mouth to explain, but Yuri beat him to the punch.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder is where someone is able to remember a physically or emotionally traumatic event with incredibly vivid detail, sometimes causing a panic attack." Yuri explained.

Noticing what she'd done, she quickly looked away and blushed again.

"Oh, s-sorry. I didn't mean to..." She trailed off.

"Yuri, again, you don't need to apologize. You did nothing wrong." I consoled her. She calmed down instantly, but the others ignored this. Then, Natsuki began to talk.

"What was it, Alex?" She asked me.

"What do you mean?" I inquired. She huffed in frustration, then remembered that I'd just woken up from a panic attack and expanded on the question.

"If you just had a panic attack from PTSD, then what was the traumatic event?" I panicked. I couldn't have them be worried about me so much. I was the one who came here to help them, not the other way around. Luckily, Monika pitched in for me.

"Natsuki, don't you think that's a bit of an insensitive question?" She minorly accused. Natsuki looked like she wanted to argue, but decided that Monika was right. She turned to me.

"S-sorry, Alex." She said. I didn't want her to feel guilty, so I said the first thing that came to mind:

"Don't worry about it, Nat." I reassured her. "I'll tell you guys at a later date, anyway." Natsuki smiled at this promise. I suddenly became aware that a lot of time could've passed in the time that I was asleep, and frantically searched for my watch. I picked it up off of the side table and glared at the time. I missed both of my afternoon classes?!

"Dammit!" I exclaimed. Everyone stepped back, shocked at my sudden outburst. I sighed angrily and reluctantly slipped my watch onto my wrist.

'_Well, at least I still have the club.' _I thought. Now, you're probably wondering why I was so angry about missing two classes when my primary goal was to save the other club members. Well, it's simple. Even though that was my goal, I still had to do the schoolwork so I wouldn't raise any red flags. If I didn't do it, the school would ban me from the club, preventing me from spending time with the club members. On top of that, if I got homework, I wouldn't have as much time to think of plans to help them.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and vaulted myself onto my feet. I felt a slight shock of nausea, but nothing too bad.

I turned to the others. "Shall we be off?" I asked. Monika nodded, while the others looked at each other in silent agreement. I picked up my bag (which was laying on the floor next to the bed) and Monika led the way to the club. I turned back at the doorway to bid farewell to the nurse, then followed the others. Sayori trailed behind to match my pace.

"Are you sure you're okay, Alex?" Sayori inquired, concerned. I smiled at her to reassure her.

"I promise you that I'm fine Sayori." I answered. Her expression didn't change, still believing me to be hurt.

"But..." She tried to protest, but couldn't think of anything to say. I sighed, then put my hand on her shoulder.

"Sayori, I promise you that I'm fine." I said gently. "I can understand if you're concerned about my well-being, but there's no need." Sayori looked a little better, but the sadness was still shown in her eyes.

"I know I can be a little stupid sometimes, but even I can tell that you must have had a really traumatic experience for you to be suffering from it." Damn, she was a lot more observant than I thought. That, and she was right. It was a horrible scene. I took a deep breath to prepare myself to be a bit more personal, just like I did with Yuri the day before.

"You're right, Sayori. It was a traumatic event." I admitted. "However, it was two years ago, so it doesn't really affect me all that much, now. This was the first time I've ever had a panic attack." Sayori began to lightly cry, still somehow sad.

"But... how do you know it won't happen again? How will we know what caused it? What if we don't-" I cut her off.

"Sayori." I said sternly. "Don't focus on the negative. It might happen again, but it might not. If you keep focusing on the negative, then you won't be able to appreciate the positive when it comes." I used my thumb to wipe away some of her tears. "Also, you're not stupid. A bit unobservant, yes, but not stupid. Don't talk about yourself that way."

Sayori paused for a moment, then looked at me gratefully. "Thanks, Alex. I really needed that." She smiled, and I smiled back. She really was a little angel, and it was mine and Monika's job to make sure she didn't turn into one.

We eventually reached the clubroom, all of us waiting behind Monika as she unlocked the door. Natsuki bounced on the balls of her feet impatiently as Monika slowly turned the key. I suppressed a chuckle at her behavior, finding it adorable. Sayori caught me looking at Natsuki and put on an insinuating grin. I waved her off as Monika finished unlocking the clubroom.

I followed everyone else through the doorway as they went to do their own thing. Mc and Yuri were back to reading _The Portrait of Markov_, Monika and Sayori were discussing plans for the festival, and Natsuki stood in front of me, expectantly. It took a few seconds of awkward silence for me to deduce that she was expecting her manga.

"Oh! Uh, here." I pulled the manga out of my pocket and handed it to her. I had made sure it was cleanly put in, as I knew she really didn't want her manga damaged. She snatched it out of my hand and frantically turned it around in her hands, checking to make sure it was completely intact.

"Don't ever just put these in your pocket!" She snapped, still looking over the manga. I wasn't surprised by her outburst, considering how passionate she was about these things.

"Yeah, sorry." I put my hand on the back of my neck. "If it's any consolation, I was careful with the placement, so there shouldn't be any damage to it." She ignored me. After she made sure there weren't any creases or tears, she rested her arm at her side and looked up at me.

"Well? Do you want to continue the series?" She asked. I nodded and she led me to the closet again. She placed the volume into the manga collection and searched for the next one. She seemed to be having trouble locating it, so I stepped in.

"What's wrong?" I inquired. Natsuki looked confusedly at the box of manga.

"I can't find the second issue." She suddenly looked angry. "Where is it?!" She yelled. Not wanting to attract attention from the halls (yes, she was THAT loud), I quickly began looking around the closet for volume two of _Parfait Girls._

I found it after about five seconds of looking, spying it sitting on a shelf on the other side of the closet. I walked past Natsuki towards the shelf. Picking it up, I spun around and displayed it to her with a comical bow.

"Your manga, my good lady." I jokingly said in my best English accent. Natsuki laughed as she took the manga.

"You dork." She joked. I found myself smiling as we left the closet. We sat down under the same windowsill as the day before and we were soon back to laughing at the antics of the characters. The face Natsuki made showed pure childish glee and entertainment. I was almost disappointed when Monika announced it was time to share poems.

"So, I assume I read this at home again?" I asked as we stood up.

"Yeah." Natsuki answered. "C'mon. Let's go share poems." I walked over to my backpack propped up against the doorway and pulled out my poem. I looked it over a bit, making sure Natsuki would like it. I then got to "work" showing it to the other club members.

First showing it to Monika, she confirmed that Natsuki would like it, followed by her teasing me for trying to impress Natsuki.

"Would you rather I didn't try to save her?" I whispered angrily. Monika looked hurt.

"I didn't mean it like that..." She said, depressed. I just couldn't stay mad at her for anything, now. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sorry, Monika. You're here, trying to save your friends, and I'm here, getting angry at you for teasing me when you need my help to save them." I apologized. Monika looked back up, then began talking in a low voice.

"Alex, I don't want to watch them die again. Promise me you won't turn your back on them. _Please._" She said desperately. I looked directly into her eyes and said:

"I promise. If anyone here knows how you feel, it's me. I'm in this with you, until the bitter end." Monika smiled gratefully. I took my hand off her shoulder and she thanked me. She handed me her poem, and it was the exact same as the one in the game.

"Ah, keeping with the classics, I see." I joked. Monika giggled a little as I gave her poem back.

I showed my poem to Mc next, who was a bit surprised by the style. That is, until he figured out who it was for. He gave me a sly smile, which only lasted until I read his poem and pointed out the similarity to Yuri's style. As he walked away, blushing, it was my turn to give a sly smile.

Next was Sayori and Yuri, who both had basically the same reactions as in the game, along with the same poems. Nothing really all that interesting there. Since things were the same so far, I already knew that Natsuki and Yuri would argue about writing styles at the end of the club meeting, so I would have to find out a way to diffuse that situation better than Mc.

Finally, I showed my poem to Natsuki. Strangely, her reaction was different from the game. As she read the poem, I could see a smile slowly making itself known on her face. After reading it, she handed it back to me as she commented on it.

"I like it. I can tell you're a man of culture." She said. Despite my surprise at her complimenting my writing, I'm somehow able to respond.

"Thanks, Nat. Let's see yours now, shall we?" Natsuki hands me her poem, which (again) is the exact same as the one from the game. Using my knowledge of the game, I chose to over-analyze her poem.

"Well, from what I can see, this poem is about the feeling of giving up." I observe from memory. "In addition, you prepare the reader for a rhyme at the end, but make it fall flat to snap them back to reality. Am I correct in this observation?" Natsuki looked flabbergasted, shocked too bad to speak. After a while, she was finally able to find her voice.

"Y-yeah. You're right." She put her hands on her hips and tried to look impressive. "That's me! I'm a master when it comes to poem writing!" This wasn't the most convincing statement, considering she was blushing and sweating profusely, probably flustered by my comments. I didn't expect this in the slightest.

"Heh. I didn't expect you to be flustered by my analystic abilities." I teased, which quickly earned me a punch in the arm. "Yeah, deserved that." I said in pain. However, Natsuki had already left to share poems with Yuri. Before I could think of how I'd deal with their future argument, my vision went black as two hands covered my eyes. I heard Sayori giggling behind me.

"Guess who!" She said in a sing-song voice. I was half-tempted to call her "Misha", but she probably wouldn't have gotten the joke. I jokingly put my hand to my chin.

"Hmm. Well, I couldn't POSSIBLY be Sayori, now could it?" I joked. Sayori laughed and she took her hands off of my eyes. I turned around to see Sayori laughing with Mc standing behind her, smiling.

"So, how'd it go with Natsuki?" Mc asked teasingly.

"How'd it go with Yuri?" I rebounded. Mc blushed in embarrassment, but Sayori sadly frowned, reminding me of her crush on Mc. If Monika wasn't able to confront her about her depression, then we'd have to have a backup plan. Before our conversation could even start, however, I heard Natsuki and Yuri squabbling behind me. I quickly ran over to them, but they seemed to ignore my presence.

"If I was full of myself, I wouldn't go out of my way to make everything I do overly cutesy!" Yuri exclaimed. Natsuki looked furious, then seemed to get control of her anger and got smug.

"Well, I'm not the one whose boobs grew three sizes bigger when Mc started showing up!" Natsuki teased. Yuri looked away, mortified. I stepped in, trying not to make it too one-sided.

"Are you two seriously arguing over writing styles?" I angrily asked. "Listen, I understand it if you two don't like each other's styles, but saying that they're bad? That's just going too far. Everyone has their own preferences." Natsuki looked at me, her expression slightly softer, and Yuri peeked at me from the corner of her eye, still embarrassed. I turned to Yuri.

"Yuri, your style uses extensive knowledge of the English language, along with amazing metaphors. Don't think that the message of feeding an addiction was lost on me." I turned to Natsuki. "Nat, your style uses simple words to represent a much grander concept, in other words, making something great with not much, which is something that I can appreciate." I began turning my head between the two of them. "Now, let me ask this: Why the hell are we all fighting here?!"

Yuri looked down in shame, while Natsuki looked at Yuri regretfully. I turned around to see Mc and Sayori looking at me in shock, with Monika giving me a thumbs-up behind them. I turned back to Yuri and Natsuki to find Natsuki walking up to Yuri. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Yuri beat her to the punch.

"Natsuki, I'm sorry." She looked back up to Natsuki. "Alex is right. Neither of our writing styles is better than the other. Also, sorry for saying everything you did is cute." Yuri apologized.

"No, Yuri. _I'm_ sorry. I'm the one who started this, thinking that your style wasn't as good as mine. That thing about your boobs, I didn't really mean it." She held out her hand. "Do you forgive me?" She asked. Yuri grabbed her hand and shook it.

"Yes. I forgive you, Natsuki." She said. This tender moment was unfortunately interrupted by the school bell ringing, signaling the end of the school day. Monika dismissed everyone as they filed out the door, leaving her to lock up.

"Hey, Alex?" I heard Natsuki say from behind me.

"Yes?" I responded as I turned around.

"Since my route is basically the same as yours..." Natsuki looked a little embarrassed. Luckily, I already knew what she was trying to say.

"Yes, you can join us on our walk home." I said. Natsuki breathed out a sigh of relief. I turned back around to see Mc and Sayori, again, at the end of the hall, beckoning me to follow them. I waved Natsuki to follow me, then began making the trek to my locker.

*Five minutes later*

The four of us walked out of the school. It was an oddly chilly evening, despite the fact that it was April. April... second? Yeah, second. On a Wednesday. It was surprising how the date directly corresponded to the date that I came to this world.

About halfway to Mc's house, I felt something warm on my right side. I looked down to see Natsuki huddled up to me, her teeth chattering in the cold. She seemed to be doing it of her own volition, and not just subconsciously. I place my arm around her shoulders, and she jumped in surprise. She looked up at me, blushing.

"Um... Alex?" She started. "Why is your arm around me?" There wasn't any annoyance or anger in her voice, just confusion, and maybe a little bit of fluster.

"Well, you were clearly cold if you were huddled up to me like that. I'm just being nice." I responded nonchalantly. Natsuki looked back ahead with a faint "oh", almost as if she were disappointed. However, she quickly leaned into me a bit more with a smile.

Eventually, we could see Mc's house off in the distance, and Natsuki was still hugging me for warmth. After seeing her like this, I just couldn't help myself.

"You know, I feel like you're just asking me to call you cute at this point." This earned me a punch to the arm, but Natsuki didn't let go. In fact, she didn't even say anything. That smile on her face was still there, just as happy as ever. As we got to Mc's house, Mc turned to Natsuki and Sayori.

"So, would either of you like to come in for some hot chocolate? It's kind of weird to have it at this time of year, but it's so cold that it doesn't really matter." He offered. Sayori was almost bouncing off the ground in excitement, but Natsuki frowned sadly.

"Sorry, but I can't. My dad expects me home at a specific time." She responded sadly. "He can be pretty strict about boys."

'_Among other things...'_ I thought. Sayori, who had been jumping up and down in excitement at the prospect of hot chocolate, suddenly stopped right there with a remorseful look on her face.

"And I just remembered that I have homework to do. Sorry, Mc..." She said. Despite the disappointment in her voice, Mc smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it. Your grades are more important." Mc said. Sayori looked up at him gratefully before waving goodbye. Natsuki left too, but not before whispering in my ear a thank you for the warmth.

*Ten minutes later*

I sat on one of the couches in the living room, waiting for Mc and the hot chocolate. Letting him do all of these things made me feel kind of bad, but he insisted I wait. Finally, he walked out of the kitchen with one mug in each hand, steam curling off the surfaces. He sat down next to me, handing me one of the mugs. It wasn't long before he began to make conversation.

"So, when are you confessing to Natsuki?" He asked smugly. I nearly spat out my hot chocolate in shock. I was barely able to swallow before blurting out:

"WHAT?!" Mc laughed at my embarrassment, and I could feel myself blushing.

"Listen, I know you like her, and you know I like Yuri. So, when do you plan to confess to her?" He asked again, this time a little more forceful. I took a few seconds to catch my breath from the shock of the question before answering.

"I don't know." I answered as calmly as I could. "It probably won't be any time soon. I'm not even sure she shares my feelings." I was surprised by my own honesty. For some reason, I was able to easily talk to Mc about this.

Mc laughed. "With the way she was hugging you on the way back? And people call me dense." He had a point. However, it wasn't that I was dense. I just didn't want it to end up like Exit Music. I didn't want to watch her die after getting so close.

I was eventually able to get him to drop the subject, but not without me threatening to tell Yuri about his crush on her. It seemed that he didn't know whether she like him back or not. And he called ME dense. Anyway, we began to talk about miscellaneous subjects, until he asked me a question that hit a little too close to home.

"So, how's Caitlyn doing?" I was barely able to keep hold of my now-empty mug. He looked at me confusedly after about half a minute. "Um... you there? You know, Caitlyn. Your sister." His words almost went right over me in my half-catatonic state. However, I was just barely able to choke something out.

"S-she's..." I put my hand to my mouth as tears ran down my face, remembering the image of her lifeless body hanging from her bedroom ceiling. Mc seemed to figure out that he'd asked about a sensitive subject.

"Oh, shit." He said under his breath, followed by him putting his hand on my shoulder. "A-Alex. I didn't know. I'm sorry." I kept my head facing forwards, but took my hand off my mouth.

"I-It's o-okay, Mc. I-I think I'll g-go to b-bed now." I got up off of the couch without another word from either of us and started towards my bedroom. It didn't matter that I hadn't had dinner. I staggered through my bedroom door, stumbling over to the bed and falling face-first into the pillow as I remembered the day my sister took her own life.

It was about a week before I was pulled into this world, and three weeks after our parents had died. I was able to cope with their deaths better than Caitlyn, who I could hear crying in her room at night. One day, she attempted to take her own life.

She stood at the top of a five-story building, preparing to jump off. I was just barely able to get up there in time to talk her off the edge. I thought I'd saved her that day, but I found out the next morning that she was still doomed.

I had gotten up out of bed, and went to check and see if Caitlyn was mentally alright. I knocked on her door to no response. I knocked again. I called her name, but she never answered. Finally, I got so worried that I just burst through the door, and the scene that I was met with was horrifying.

I witnessed my sister, hanging from a noose attached to her bedroom ceiling, her eyes glossy and dead. No life in her body. Just dangling there, like a sack of meat. There was blood around her neck, probably from the noose digging into her flesh. I'd wanted to throw up, but my body had ceased to move.

Suddenly, I was jerked back to reality, laying down in my bed in Mc's house. I was grateful, as I didn't want to live through that moment for any longer. I sat up and fished my phone out from my pocket, turning it on. The screen flashed to life, and I instantly made my way to the messaging app. I opened it and began to text Monika:

You: What the FUCK, Monika?!

It took a bit for Monika to respond, probably from the sudden shock of my text.

Monika: What?

You: You told me that Mc and Sayori only knew about me, and the fact that I'm from Canada!

Monika: Okay?

You: Then why did Mc just ask about Caitlyn?!

Monika, again, took a while to respond, the text bubble just sitting there on the screen. Finally, she responded:

Monika: I don't know, Alex. All the information I gave them was listed in the letter I sent you. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but I just don't know.

I gazed at the words on the screen, thoroughly confused. I knew that Monika couldn't have been lying. That just wasn't like her. I sighed sadly and put the phone on my bedside table, along with my glasses and watch, not even bothering with responding. I knew I wouldn't be able to get a straight answer. I laid down in my bed, closed my eyes, and waited until sleep consumed me...


	5. Chapter 4: Take Three

Chapter 4: Take Three

Pain. It was all I could feel. Right behind my eyes, as if my brain were attempting to escape my skull, was intense, unending pain. I sat doubled over in my bed, clutching my fingers to my temples in an attempt to dull the pain, but it didn't cease. I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut as much as possible, when I could just barely make out a vision of two human figures.

The first one was overweight, wearing the school uniform with the blazer unbuttoned. They were definitely male, with short, black hair and almost-opaque glasses. His face was chubby, but he held an expression that read pure confidence.

The second figure was taller, leaner, and most definitely female. She had dark skin, blue eyes, and long, green hair bunched into a ponytail by a purple scrunchie. Her expression was mellow with a warm smile on her face, like she was new somewhere and wanted to make a good first impression.

Suddenly, the pain stopped, the vision disappeared, and I was left alone in my room once again. I looked over to the alarm clock to check the time, only for it to go off as soon as my gaze swept across it. For once, I just pressed the OFF-button normally instead of attempting to break it. That vision left me drained, so I just didn't have the energy.

It wasn't long before my phone began to ring. I put on my glasses, picked up my phone, and looked at the screen. Monika was calling. I pressed the ANSWER button and put the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Monika." I greeted her. Her response was less graceful, and more spastic.

"Alex! D-did you see it?!" I pulled the phone away from my ear momentarily, stunned by her sudden outburst. Confused, I brought it back to reply.

"You mean the vision? Wait, you have cross-sight, too?" I heard an aggravated sigh from the other end of the line, followed by Monika speaking exasperatedly.

"Of course I have cross-sight! Why the hell wouldn't I?!" There was a sudden pause, then her voice came back calmer. "Sorry, Alex. I'm just really anxious. An extra two people could cause major setbacks to our plans."

I was hit with a sudden realization about the identity of the two people I saw in that vision. I froze in thought as I struggled to remember everything about them. After digging through my memories for a bit, I went back to Monika on the phone.

"As long as we don't get them too involved, we should be fine." I responded, trying to reassure her. "I mean, that shouldn't be so difficult, considering we both already know everything about them." Monika's end went silent for a few seconds before coming back.

"Actually, Alex, I don't know who they are. I've never encountered these people before in any glitches. Could you maybe tell me about them?" She requested, sounding a bit embarrassed. I obliged by her request and began describing the two new students.

"Both of them are from the mod 'Take Two'. The first one is Shiro." I told her. "He's a fan of video games, anime, Dungeons and Dragons, and everything in between. Some people would refer to him as an otaku. He's confident, and joins the literature club because he likes Yuri." It felt strange to be describing these people like this. It made me feel like I was giving a debriefing for some sort of government operation.

"Okay." Monika paused for a few seconds, taking the time to burn the information into her mind. "Got it. Now tell me about the other one."

"Her name is Tiffany." I explained. "She was born in America, but her family moved to Japan recently. She's pretty friendly and a fan of rap. She joins the literature club after our event for the festival, assuming that she only saw the worst of us." Monika sighed.

"The event was pretty bad, the last time I saw it. Everyone got in an argument, and Mc had to break it up, but not before all the visitors had already left." I chuckled, knowing exactly what she was talking about. It was from a mod called DDLC: The Normal VN, which was the first DDLC mod I'd ever played, two years prior.

"So, what should we do about them?" I inquired. Monika paused for a few moments, thinking.

"We treat them as any other members of the literature club, even if they aren't yet." She stated confidently. "On a side note, they'll probably be the subject of some of Okane's and Chad's bullying, so we'll have to watch out for that, too." I made a grunt of agreement.

"Got it. See you at school." I hung up and sat there, thinking about what this could mean. The addition of Shiro and Tiffany to the equation would either be bad, or wouldn't change anything at all. At the very minimum, they would attract some attention from Okane and Chad. I could just tell they would target them. They were already proved to be racist towards Canadians, why wouldn't they also be racist to black people and look down on people who were overweight?

I stored that information in the back of my head for later as I got ready for the day. As I was getting my uniform on, however, I remembered how sour of a note yesterday ended on. Mc knew who my sister was, and he knew that she was dead. He probably thought that I was in a bad mental state due to it, and he would be right. However, I couldn't let him worry about me. The reason why I was here was to save the club members. I wasn't the focus. They were.

With this in mind, I made my out of my bedroom. I was anxious about talking to Mc after what had happened last night, but I couldn't just stay in my room all day and let the club members die. I just had to hope that Mc didn't bring it up, which he definitely would. I walked into the kitchen for the third time that week, and was surprised by the scene that I was met with. Everything was the same as normal, except that instead of bowls of cereal on the table, there were plates of pancakes with maple syrup.

Mc was sitting at the table with a smile on his face, but I could clearly see some discomfort in his face. I watched his expression as I sat down across from him, but it never changed. After he finished eating a strangely large bite of his pancake, he began to talk.

"Hey, Alex. Sleep well?" His friendly tone threw me off. Was he trying to comfort me after what happened last night? I sighed. I wasn't having any of it, so I just cut to the chase.

"Mc." I said forcefully. "About last night-" He held up a hand and cut me off.

"Alex, no." He frowned. "You don't need to explain yourself. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I know it must be a sensitive topic, and it was rude of me to pry you about it. And, if it means anything to you, I'm sorry for your loss." He looked down in shame and went back to eating his pancakes without another word.

'_Stop blaming yourself, Mc. It isn't your fault that she's dead!'_ I frustratedly thought. I wasn't going to let him worry about me. Even if I couldn't get him to stop worrying, I would sure as hell try to lighten the load. I slammed my fist down on the table, startling Mc.

"It isn't your goddamned fault, Mc." I said, looking down. "Caitlyn is dead, and that's the end of it. There's no reason for you to be apologizing. Life moves on, but you'll be left behind if you focus on the past. I've moved on." Mc looked at me in shock. His expression slowly changed back to a frown, but I could tell that he didn't blame himself as much. I was about to start eating, but I quickly added on:

"And one more thing, Mc." I started. "I'd prefer it if the other club members didn't know about this. I'd rather they didn't worry about me too much." Mc smiled at me, nodded, then went back to his pancakes. I followed suit.

The rest of the morning went exactly like the past two days, up until Mc and I met Sayori and Natsuki at the door. We greeted each other, left the house, and began making our way to school. Before we could even make it ten steps, however, I heard and energetic, yet meek voice from behind me.

"Hey, you go to this school, right?" I turned around to see someone standing there, but the sheet of paper that they were showing me completely covered their face. They were clearly a tall female, but I couldn't really deduce anything else about them, so I chose to focus on the page they were holding up. On it was a picture of the school we were going to, with the school's title above it. I nodded to the girl.

"Good." She said. "Sorry for bothering you, but I'm new here, and I don't really know this area all that well." She pulled the page back and stuck it into her backpack, which was still on her back. She then looked at me, and I instantly recognized her as Tiffany. After a second-long internal panic, I extended a hand to greet her.

"I assume you're from another country?" I asked as she shook. She smiled warmly at me.

"Yeah. I'm from the U.S." She responded. I smiled back.

"Canada." I stated. "I'm Alex, by the way." Tiffany laughed.

"Well then, neighbor, I'm Tiffany Edwards." She introduced herself, then began rubbing the back of her neck. "I was wondering if you could direct me to the school? I'm a new student." I could tell that she was a bit nervous, being in a new country where what was socially acceptable was actually quite different than in North America.

"Why not just join us on our way there?" I offered. Tiffany looked as if she had just noticed that Mc, Sayori, and Natsuki were standing right behind me, and promptly nodded.

"Sure! But first, would you mind introducing me to your friends?" She gestured to the party of three standing behind me. Despite having heard that Tiffany had asked me to introduce them, Sayori promptly ran forward to Tiffany and began introducing herself in an overly-excited manner.

"Hi, I'm Sayori Yuutsu! Nice to meet you!" She greeted while shaking Tiffany's hand excessively. Tiffany began to respond, but her speech was different this time. It was more halted, as if she were speaking another language that she'd just learned.

"Hello, Sayori. Nice to meet you too." She returned Sayori's infectious smile, then Mc walked up to her for his introduction.

"Sup, I'm Mc Sabishi. Sorry about Sayori. She can get a bit too excited sometimes." He said. Tiffany laughed at his description of her.

"Don't worry about it. It's pretty rare to find someone so carefree these days." Tiffany responded. Finally, Natsuki walked up to her cautiously, then began her introduction.

"Hey, I'm Natsuki Kurushimi. Don't call me cute, or you'll DEFINITELY regret it." She said. Tiffany brushed it off with a giggle, then jokingly said:

"Noted." With the introductions out of the way, we all began making our way to school. On the way, I began to make conversation with Tiffany. However, I noticed something strange about her speech. Whenever she was talking to the others, she would go back to the slightly halted speech. However, whenever she was talking to me, her speech was perfectly fluent. I just ignored it for the time being, thinking she just wasn't used to talking to people with completely different beliefs.

"So, Alex, how long have you been here?" She inquired.

"This is only my third day here. I've been staying over at Mc's house for the time being. We've actually known each other for quite a long time." I answered. I was making sure to stick to the fake backstory that Monika gave me, just in case. Tiffany nodded.

"So, have you had any problems with racism or discrimination?" Well, that escalated quickly. It was so surprising, even Mc, Sayori, and Natsuki stopped walking. I stuttered for a second before finding my voice.

"Um, a little." I answered. "There are these two bullies at school: Okane Burondo and Chad Dickson. They've been calling me 'Eskimo', but it gets much worse than that. From what I've seen, they go out of their way to bully anyone, and are both racist and sexist." Tiffany looked sad from that fact.

"O-oh..." Was all she said. She was usually so carefree and upbeat, so it was weird to see her like this. I didn't want to give her the wrong idea about how life was here, so I quickly added:

"However, I DID beat the shit out of them two days ago, so you should be fine as long as they know that I know you." Tiffany began to fidget, covering her mouth. I was about to ask her what was wrong when she burst out laughing. After about a minute, the laughs died down, and she was able to speak.

"Ah, yes. My knight in shining armor!" Everyone in our group began laughing, all except for me, as I was a bit too occupied with being embarrassed. This went on for five minutes, until Mc cut it.

"Jokes aside, he actually is telling the truth. On top of that, it was a pretty impressive fight. He got both of them on the ground in less than a minute!" He said. Tiffany nodded in admiration.

"That's quite impressive." She commented. We all continued walking, but that didn't stop the conversation.

"Why do you ask, Tiffany?" I inquired. "It just seems like a bit of a sudden thing to ask, is all." Tiffany frowned uncomfortably, shuffling a little in her clothes as she walked.

"L-let's just say that I've had a bit worse of a time than you." She said. "I'd rather not talk about it right now." I quickly changed the subject to cheer her up, and she was soon back to her old, happy self. However, I noticed that Natsuki had given her a weird look when she mentioned having a worse time than me. I brushed it off as just her being cautious around new people as we continued walking.

Eventually, we reached the school. At the gates, we all bade our farewells as we made our ways to our individual classes. Mc offered Tiffany to bring her to the office to get her schedule, but she politely declined.

"I already know the way there. My family and I visited on Monday to check it out." She said. Mc shrugged, said goodbye, then began making his way to his class. Tiffany followed his example.

*Five minutes later*

As I stood in front of my locker, my thoughts began to wander to what Tiffany had said about having a bit of a tough time with racism.

'_Does it have something to do with that look Natsuki gave her?' _I thought. Natsuki's cautiousness with Tiffany confused me. I refused to believe that she was racist. It just wasn't possible. However, I didn't have much more time to think about it before I began to hear footsteps behind me. I spun around in surprise, only to find Monika standing there with a smile on her face.

"Oh! Hey Monika." I greeted her.

"Hello, Alex." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "I wanted to talk to you about something." Judging by the seriousness of her voice, and the fact that she decided to ambush me in this part of the school, I assumed that it had something to do with the plan, or maybe the whole "alternate universes" thing.

"Okay, what is it?" I asked. I'd gotten pretty used to this thing by now. I'm in an alternate dimension? Okay. I can make myself stronger and faster? Okay. It was just normal for me by now. Monika smiled playfully.

"I'll give you a hint: When you were walking to school with Tiffany earlier, did you notice anything weird about her speech?" That wasn't much of a hint. I ignored the fact that she knew that I was with Tiffany on my walk to school and answered honestly.

"Only when she was talking to the others. Her speech was a bit halted between words." I answered. "It was almost as if she was speaking another language." Monika giggled a little, then went back to serious.

"That's because she was." She as-a-matter-of-factly said. I'm pretty sure my brain short-circuited, because I didn't move, talk, or think. That statement stunned me THAT much. During all of this, Monika was laughing out loud, probably at my shocked facial expression.

"WHAT?!" I eventually yelled. My voice echoed down the halls, but Monika either didn't notice or didn't care. Either way, we were so out-of-the-way that it didn't really matter, even with the echoes. After Monika finally stopped laughing, she began to explain her mindfuck-inducing statement.

"Alex, everyone you've met so far has been speaking Japanese, all except for Tiffany." She explained.

"Then how am I hearing everyone speaking English? Are you speaking Japanese or English?" To be honest, I was frantically trying to understand what she was saying, because my brain just wouldn't accept it.

"You see, when I pulled you into this world, I took extra care to allow you to understand what we were saying. I made it so that your brain automatically translated whatever we were saying to English, no matter what language we were speaking." Her explanation answered my question, but this birthed another question.

"Then how is everyone understanding me?" I asked. "Aren't I speaking English right now?" Monika sighed, as if she were about to attempt to explain quantum physics to a child.

"To put it simply, you FEEL like you're speaking English, but it comes out as Japanese, or whatever language of the person that you're talking to." She explained. "It's a bit more complicated than that, but that's the basic principal." It took a bit to wrap my head around it, but I was eventually able to think about it without getting an aneurysm.

"Okay, got it. Also, one last thing:" I waited until I had Monika's full attention before continuing. "Are you still able to manipulate people like you could do in the game? I know that we aren't dealing with game files any more, but..." I trailed off, knowing full well that Monika must've gotten the point from the information I gave her. She frowned, but slowly nodded her head.

"Yes. I still have the ability to change the others, but I vowed not to use it to change them mentally. I could make it worse, and that's too big a risk. However, I can still change them physically." She said. I nodded, signifying that I understood the basic idea of what she just told me.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later, Monika." I waved at her before turning back around to my locker. However, I didn't hear her walking away. I turned back around to see her looking down, shuffling her feet around in discomfort.

"Hey, Alex?" She said in a small voice.

"What?" I asked. Monika shuffled around a little more before answering.

"How do I put this..." She started. "W-was there ever a mod where I found happiness?" She continued looking down, but if I angled my gaze correctly, I could just barely see a small blush on her cheeks, accompanied by a few tears. The meaning behind her words was quite obvious, even more so for me. Even though she was trying to save the others now, she still felt alone.

"Monika, I know what you're talking about." I put my hand on her shoulder. "But what you do here has nothing to do with a mod. Even if the answer was no, I promise you that there's someone out there for you." Monika looked back up at me, her face full of tears.

"How do you know that?" She asked. I smiled at her.

"I don't. But you've got to have faith." I reassured her. "Faith's brought you this far, hasn't it? If you didn't have it, then neither of us would be standing here." I took my hand off her shoulder. She stared at me for a few seconds, before her frown slowly turned into a smile.

"Thank you, Alex." She said. "For everything you've been doing."

"No problem." I waved. "We should probably get going to our classes, now. We've been standing here for a while." Monika looked at the watch on her wrist and gasped.

"Oh my god!" She looked back up at me. "You're right! Bye, Alex!" She took off down the hall, before remembering that you can't run in the halls and respectively slowed her pace to a moderately fast walk. I quickly followed suit, emphasis on 'quickly'.

*Five minutes later*

I walked through the door to my math class, surprised by how fast I got there. The first bell hadn't even gone yet.

'_Huh.'_ I thought. '_I guess I didn't need to rush that much, after all.'_

I walked over to my seat and sat down. Curiously, all of my classes had either an empty seat next to me, or a club member sitting next to me. My math class was one of the former, up until someone plopped down in the chair next to me, startling me with their suddenness. The startle changed to shock, however, as I looked over to them and recognized them as Shiro.

'_Holy shit, two people from a mod, and I meet both of them within the first half of the day?!' _I thought, mentally freaking out. Shiro noticed me looking at him and promptly introduced himself.

"Hey, there! Shiro Shiroi, at your service!" He extended a hand, which I cautiously grabbed and shook. "You're from Canada, right?" I was stunned by his VERY quick deduction. Yes, I was Canadian, but there weren't really any signs on me that would signify that at first glance. The only thing that could lead someone to guess that someone was Canadian as opposed to American was their accent, and even then, I didn't have one. Shocking, I know, but I didn't have a Canadian accent. Once I was able to actually process what he'd just said, I blurted out a response:

"Yeah, I'm Canadian. How'd you know?" Subtle as a brick. Shiro gave me a sly smile.

"I didn't actually know." My jaw dropped. "So, what's your name, mate?" This guy was a lot more random than the mod he was from suggested. Despite this, I answered.

"I'm Alex." I answered. "Also, you ARE aware what your name means, right?" Those of you that don't know much Japanese wouldn't understand this, but both Shiro's first and last names roughly translated to 'white'. Shiro laughed, then nodded.

"Yup. My parents were cruel, weren't they?" He joked.

"I'll say." I smiled, slowly getting used to this guy. "So, are you new here? I didn't see you here yesterday, or the day before." Shiro nodded again, then explained:

"I used to live in Tokyo, but my dad got a job in this area, so we moved here. I just moved here yesterday." How cliché. "So, how long have you been here?"

"This is my third day here. I'm an old friend of a student who goes here, and he agreed to let me stay with him for the time being." I responded, again making sure to stay with the cover story Monika gave me. Shiro smiled unsettlingly at me.

"That 'old friend' wouldn't happen to be named 'Mc', would he?" My expression must've been priceless, because Shiro looked like he was barely able to contain his laughter. "So I was right! That must mean you know Sayori as well, huh?" I took a few moments to figure out what was happening, so I attempted to answer his question at least.

"Y-yeah, I know Sayori." I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "But how the HELL do you know them?" Shiro laughed, then smiled at me knowingly.

"My locker just so happened to be next to his, and his is next to Sayori's. It was just pure luck that I got there at the same time as them." Shiro explained. "We started talking, then it turned out we had a lot in common. He mentioned someone from Canada staying with him, and I just began asking people if they were Canadian as a bit of a joke." He suddenly put his hands up in a defensive position. "Not that I was making fun of you! I have nothing against Canadians, or anyone for that matter!" It was my turn to laugh now.

"Don't worry about it. It takes a lot to offend me." I said. "In fact, there've only been two people to do that ever since I got here..." I thought back to Okane and Chad, but mostly only the memory of me beating the shit out of them. Shiro frowned.

"You wouldn't be talking about that blonde rich boy and his red-eyed friend, would you?" He asked.

"Yeah. Let me guess, you know them because the harassed you for being overweight?" I instantly regretted saying that, but it turned out to not matter, as Shiro just nodded with a smile.

"Yup. Bunch of assholes, wouldn't you say?" He said. "What are their names?"

"The answer to the first question is a definite yes." I responded. "As for the second question... The blonde one is Okane Burondo, and the other one is Chad Dickson." Shiro snorted at his name.

"Chad Dickson? Are you serious?" He asked, barely keeping in the laughs.

"I wish I could say I was joking, but I'm not." I said with a straight face. "His parents chose his path for him with that shitty name." I joked, causing Shiro to let out another laugh.

"So, I assume you've been the subject of their bullying once before?" Shiro said. I thought back over the past two days and what happened with Okane and Chad.

"You could say that. They're racist and sexist, as far as I know." I admitted. "They call me 'Eskimo' for obvious reasons. I got into a fight with them two days ago because they were making fun of Sayori, and let's just say it didn't end up good for them." Shiro looked at me with an impressed expression on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but wasn't able to get a single word out due to the bell going off, signifying the beginning of the class.

"Talk to you later, Alex." He said as he turned toward the front. I did the same.

*One class later*

The bell rang as I closed my binder, satisfied that I was able to get all the work done. In fact, I was even able to do the work that I'd missed yesterday with the time that I had left. Back at my locker, I had planned ahead and grabbed my afternoon binder before going to math, allowing me to catch up on my afternoon classes.

I stood up and started towards the door, but Shiro grabbed my shoulder and turned me around.

"Hey, just a random question... are there any clubs here?" He asked. It seemed like a strange question for him to ask me, as I hadn't thought of him as the one to want to join a club, but I pushed that reasoning aside and answered.

"Yeah." I answered. "I don't really know much, but I know for a fact that there's an anime club, book club, debate club, video game club, and a literature club. I'm a member of that last one." I'd done a little bit of research about the school's clubs earlier, so I knew what I was talking about. Shiro looked as if he were thinking, then spoke again.

"Thanks. All I wanted to know." He then walked past me and out the door. I stood there for a moment in confusion, but then remembered that I was on a schedule and quickly got on my way. I walked out the door and turned to find Natsuki leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"Took you long enough." Was all she said. I was confused by her statement, until I remembered that I said that I'd go with her to our science class. I didn't know that she actually would've appreciated that offer, or even take me up on it, but apparently she did.

"Sorry, I was talking with a friend." I said, making her raise an eyebrow. "Anyway, let's go." I waved for her to follow me and we began making our way to the science classroom. On the way, Natsuki began to talk to me.

"So, what do you think of that Tiffany girl?" She asked. I was surprised by her tone, which sounded like she was almost judging her, but didn't want it to sound like it.

"She seems nice. Why do you ask?" I responded. Natsuki looked either confused or embarrassed, maybe both.

"I... No reason." It was obvious that she was lying.

"Natsuki, you're not a very good liar." I pointed out. "Come on, you can tell me." Natsuki looked uncomfortable, but ultimately opened up.

"It's just that... I recognized her as the person who moved into the house next to mine yesterday." She admitted.

"Oh, so she's your neighbor?" I said, then noticed that she didn't even answer my question. "But that doesn't answer the question." Natsuki gritted her teeth in annoyance, but quickly calmed down.

"It's just that... I'm not sure I trust her that much. When her family moved in, her father tried to greet us, but my dad just brushed him off and dragged me back into the house." She paused, taking a breath. "Then when we were inside, my dad told me not to trust 'those types of people'." This shocked me, mostly because Natsuki was actually listening to whatever bullshit her father was telling her.

"Don't listen to him." I said abruptly. "He's just being a racist asshole." The words came out before I could stop them, but it looked like Natsuki was agreeing with me.

"You don't even know the half of it." She spouted out. "If HE wasn't in my life, I would even have HALF of the problems that I-" She stopped herself suddenly, eyes wide as if she just realized what she was saying.

"Natsu-" I started, but she interrupted me.

"FORGET I SAID ANYTHING!" She frantically blurted out. I put my hand on her shoulder, but she pulled away.

"Natsuki, is there something going on with your dad?" I asked, already knowing what her reaction would be, and the answer to the question.

"N-no. E-everything's f-fine." She stuttered, then quickly corrected her speech. "Just... forget what I said."

"Natsuki, I respect your boundaries, and I won't ask you about this until you're ready to tell me." I told her reassuringly. "But if there's something going on in your life that's making it difficult, I'll always be there if you need someone to talk to, okay?" Natsuki turned away, blushing in embarrassment. I could feel myself blushing as well, but I ignored it.

"Hey, Alex?" Natsuki said in a small voice. She was looking down at her feet.

"What is it, Natsuki?" I asked. Natsuki seemed to be internally twiddling her thumbs, like she was debating over whether or not she wanted to say something important.

"N-never mind." She turned to me. "Besides, we're going to be late if we keep standing here." I checked my watch, and lo and behold, there was only one-minute left until class started. Natsuki and I looked at each other, and in silent agreement began to rush to our science class.

*One class later*

We had been just barely able to get into the classroom before the bell rang. It had gone off at the exact moment that we burst through the open doorway of the classroom. Skipping ahead to when the bell signifying the end of the class, we were all getting up when I saw Okane walking past us. I expected him to stop and ridicule us some more, but he just ignored us as if we didn't even exist. He didn't turn his head, glance at us, or do anything of the sort.

"Hmm... that's strange." I thought aloud. Natsuki turned to me with a confused expression.

"What's strange?" She asked. I pointed at Okane, who was already halfway out the door. Natsuki looked at where I was pointing as he walked out.

"Okane just walked right by us without saying anything." I put my hand to my chin. "I would've expected him to give us a stare at the minimum, but he just acted like we didn't even exist." Natsuki looked unconvinced.

"He's just saving it for some other poor student. He probably just didn't think we were worth it." Natsuki guessed. I wasn't completely sure of that, though. It just didn't seem like Okane to pass up an opportunity like that. However, I had more important things to worry about, so I just nodded.

"Maybe you're right. Anyway, let's go to the cafeteria." I said. Natsuki nodded, then finished packing up her notes. We made our way out of the classroom and split up to grab our lunch from our respective lockers.

*Five minutes later*

I closed my locker with bento box in hand and began walking down the hall when I heard a loud BANG from around the corner. I was reminded of my first day at that school, when I had saved Yuri and Natsuki from Okane and Chad. The connection was further cemented when I heard Chad's voice yelling from around the corner.

"That's what you get for coming here, bitch!" It sounded like they were bullying another student, so just like my first day, I silently crept to the corner and peeked around, almost gasping from the shock of the scene before me.

Okane and Chad were standing in front of Tiffany, with Chad holding her up against the locker with his arm to her neck. Chad was laughing in horrible amusement, while Okane smiled at his partner's disgusting act. Tiffany was struggling against the arm holding her up against the locker, trying to pull Chad's arm off of her throat, but nothing was working.

"You know, Chad..." Okane started. "I wonder why this _thing_ even decided to come here. It's pretty obvious that Japan doesn't want these lesser beings here, ruining the country." They both laughed in cruelty, just pissing me off even more. Taking advantage of their momentary distraction, Tiffany brought her leg up and kicked Chad in the balls. Chad dropped Tiffany and doubled over in pain, but before Tiffany could run away, Chad got back up and surged forward. He clasped a hand around Tiffany's throat then pushed her up against the lockers. He balled his other hand into a fist and pulled it back, preparing to strike Tiffany.

"You fucking n****r!" He screamed in anger. My rage also overflowed. He really thought he had the right to say that? He really thought he was more important? He really thought that he mattered at all? These questions torrented through my mind, and time seemed to slow down. I ran around the corner, and before I knew it, I was directly next to Chad. I didn't notice it at the time, but contrary to what I did the last time I fought Okane and Chad, instead of enhancing just my fighting ability, I had also enhanced my speed without even noticing it!

Anyway, back to what was happening, Okane and Chad gasped at my sudden presence, Tiffany's eyes widened, and Chad's hand unclasped from around her throat as both him and Okane backed up a step. Tiffany fell to the floor, barely getting her hand up to shield herself from the fall. Before anything else could happen, I rushed forward and punched Okane in the face. He stumbled back before falling over, and I turned to Chad. I clasped MY hand around HIS neck and threw him against the locker. And I don't mean I hit him against it really hard. I mean I LITERALLY THREW his body at the locker.

Chad fell to the ground, but quickly got back up. He threw a punch at me, but I grabbed his fist and locked him into a grapple. I kneed him in the stomach a few times before grabbing his shoulder, bringing my fist back, and walloping him across the face with as much force as I could muster. He fell over just as Okane was getting up. I stepped back and helped Tiffany up, who was watching the battle with awe, and still had the amazed expression on her face.

Chad was beginning to get up, so I stepped forward and put my hand around his neck a second time. I hoisted him up and looked him dead in the eyes, Okane standing behind him, looking on in fear.

"Now listen up here, you rich-boy fuck." I put my face up to his to the point where our noses were almost touching. "If I ever hear you saying ANYTHING like that again, then I swear, I'm going to shove your skull down your fuckin throat. Do you understand me?" Chad nodded weakly, so I tossed him onto his back where he fell at the feet of Okane. Okane looked at me with a scared expression, then quickly got Chad up and they ran away.

"And one more thing!" I called after them. "If you don't want this to happen again, then DON'T FUCK WITH MY FRIENDS!" They were already around the corner by the time I said that, but I was pretty sure they got the message just fine. Satisfied that they were gone, I turned around to face Tiffany, who still had the look of awe on her face.

"A-Alex... H-how did you..." She desperately tried to form a sentence, but her shock from the scene that just took place prevented her from doing so. I turned halfway to the side.

"I'd rather not talk about it. Not right now, anyway." I said, then turned back to Tiffany. "More importantly, are you okay?" Tiffany took a few seconds to process the question, then answered:

"Y-yeah, I'm okay." She responded.

"What happened?" I asked. Tiffany shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"I don't really know." She answered. "I was getting my lunch from my locker when my head was thrown forward into my locker door. Next thing I knew, I had my body being held up against it." Tiffany was shuffling around uncomfortably.

"Hey, why don't you come eat with my friends and I in the cafeteria?" I suggested. "It'll help you get your mind off of what just happened." Even if helping her wasn't a part of my mission, I still wasn't going to just let her be pushed around like that. Tiffany smiled graciously.

"Alright, Alex. I think I'll take you up on that offer." She said. "Hey, where'd your bento box go?" I looked at the hand that I was carrying it in earlier only to find it empty. I glanced around my surroundings until I spotted it down the corridor at the corner where I was before. I walked past Tiffany, towards the lunchbox, and picked it up off the ground. I held it up for Tiffany to see.

"You ready to go?" I asked. Tiffany picked up her bento box (which was sitting at her feet) and nodded. I began walking past her, and she followed behind as we made our way to the cafeteria.

*One minute later*

"After you, Tiffany." I said as I opened the glass double doors to the cafeteria and stepped aside. Tiffany giggled, then abided by my request. Little did she know, I had taken notes from what Natsuki did to me on my first day here.

'_Natsuki let me go into the cafeteria first, which led to Sayori yelling out my name to get my attention.' _I thought. '_So, if I'm not mistaken...'_

"Tiffany! Over here!" I heard Sayori's voice call out from inside the cafeteria. I then followed Tiffany in, making sure to look at Sayori directly to prevent her from trying to get my attention. I motioned for Tiffany to follow me, then began the trek to the Literature Club table.

Mc, Sayori, and Natsuki all smiled as they noticed Tiffany and I were both there, while Yuri avoided eye contact. Monika was looking at Tiffany, but not smiling. Rather, she had an expression of study on her face, as if Tiffany were an unknown thing to her. Tiffany either didn't notice, or didn't care, because the first thing she did was plop down in the seat next to Yuri, making her jump. Yuri took a few seconds to compose herself, then attempted to introduce herself to Tiffany.

"H-hello there," she said meekly, "I-I'm Y-Yuri..." She extended a hand. Well, 'extended' would be generous. What she actually did was move her right hand slightly in the direction of Tiffany. Tiffany gave her a sad smile, then spoke in a softer voice.

"You don't need to be so nervous. I don't bite." She said teasingly at the end, then lightly shook Yuri's hand. "I'm Tiffany. Nice to meet you, Yuri." She put on a reassuring smile, which seemed to calm Yuri down a bit. Instead of responding, Yuri merely turned back to her lunch. Somewhere during that interaction, I had sat down across from Yuri. To my right sat Natsuki, followed by Monika. To my right across the table sat Mc followed by Sayori.

It wasn't long before Tiffany and Monika were well-acquainted and everyone was talking, eating, and laughing. Monika had asked Tiffany if they wanted to join the literature club (despite not wanting her involved yet), but they politely refused.

"I'd rather get to know my surroundings before I do something like joining a club" She explained. I could see where she was coming from. Joining a club was a thing that you would either really love, or really regret. It was a good idea to get to know more about where you were before you made a big decision like that.

Multiple times I noticed Natsuki looking at Tiffany regretfully. I nudged her shoulder to get her attention, then whispered to her:

"You feel bad about what you thought of her earlier, don't you?" I asked. Natsuki looked down, pouting, then brought her head back up and whispered back:

"I just don't want her to feel like I hate her, but at the same time, I don't want to accidentally offend her." I smiled.

"It's a lot harder to offend people than you might think. There's nothing wrong with mentioning someone's skin colour or ethnic background. It's all just a part of life." Natsuki took a moment to consider my words, then mouthed the words: "thank you", then smiled at me. She turned to Tiffany.

"So Tiffany," she started, "what are your interests?" Tiffany thought for a moment, then responded.

"I'm a big fan of rap music." She said, then put her hand up defensively. "But I'm not talking about the type with sex and drugs or anything. I'm not about that." I personally never saw the appeal of rap, but to each their own, I guess. Everyone continued to talk for the rest of the lunch period, making it the most normal lunch I'd had there so far. When there were about ten minutes left, however, Monika asked me:

"Hey, Alex, could I talk to you in private really quick?" Judging by her expression the matter was important to her. I could see Natsuki giving her a jealous look from the corner of her eye, but no one, not even Monika seemed to notice.

"Okay. Lead the way." I stood up, as did Monika. I followed her outside and to the same spot where we talked two days prior. Monika stopped in place, then slowly turned to me. She looked like she was trying to appear professional, but it was quite easy to tell that she was scared.

"I know you're helping Natsuki right now, but I need help with Sayori." She said, straight to the point. "Whenever I ask her what's wrong, she denies my claim and says that everything's fine. We both know how much pain she's in, so can you help me?" I didn't even hesitate with my answer.

"Yeah, I'll help. What do you need?" I asked. Monika smiled gratefully, then went back to serious mode.

"I need you to talk to her after school today and tell her that you know about her depression. She'll open up to you easier, since she remembers knowing you longer than knowing me." She explained. "I'd suggest doing it when it's only you two together. It'd be much too difficult for her to talk about it to more than one person." I took a second to process what she'd just said.

"Okay, got it." All this talk about saving the other club members suddenly made me remember something important. "Also, I kind of forgot to write a poem last night. Is it okay if-" I was interrupted by Monika shoving a poem into my hand. I looked down at it, and saw that it was in Natsuki's style. I looked up at Monika incredulously. Monika shrugged, then gave me a knowing smile.

"I figured you wouldn't have written one last night, considering the frantic texts you sent me." She explained. I was about to thank her, but the voice of a yelling Natsuki interrupted me.

"I! AM! NOT! CUTE!" Monika and I looked at each other, then laughed.

"I think that's our cue to go back and make sure she doesn't kill anyone." I joked.

"I agree." Monika said. I stuffed the poem into my pocket as we began the trek back to our table. As Monika opened the double doors, I glanced at the other members of the literature club. Yuri was finished her lunch and had begun reading 'The Portrait of Markov', Mc and Sayori were talking while Sayori shoveled noodles into her mouth between words, and Natsuki and Tiffany were having an animated conversation with Natsuki seemingly calmed down.

Half of the people sitting at that table were in danger, and Monika knew what they needed. It was our job to save them. I'd lost people before. Friends and family. But I wasn't losing these friends. This time... This time, I'm going to save them...

End of Chapter 4

(Author's Note: I apologize for the recent lack of updates to the story. I haven't been getting much time to write recently, but I think I've figured out a good schedule for my writing. Hopefully I'll be able to get more chapters out faster, but no guarantees. Even if it doesn't help, I'm still riding with this series to the end, I can guarantee that!)


	6. Chapter 5: Sayonara

(Author's Note: Due to a recent review I've gotten, I feel like I need to address something. The character of 'Chad' is not intended to be any sort of 'reinforcement of incel culture' as the reviewer put it. Before starting this fanfiction, I didn't understand the specifics of the joke behind calling someone 'Chad', and I merely named him that as a joke because he's an asshole. If you were to translate the last names of the other characters (both first and last in the case of Okane), then you'd find out that there are jokes there as well. Chad is merely a character who shares this trend, just in English instead of Japanese. No offense to people who are actually named Chad, though. Furthermore, his name is more of a reference to the character Chad from Tucker and Dale vs Evil, which is a parody of Friday the 13th)

Chapter 5: Sayonara

Not much else happened for the rest of the lunch period. Monika and I sat down in our previous spots, and we all just went back to talking. Natsuki didn't even insinuate anything between Monika and I. The only thing worth mentioning is that I tried to focus on talking to Sayori instead of Natsuki this time. It wasn't long before the bell finally rang, and we all began to get up. I was about to leave when Yuri came up to me.

"Shall we be on our way?" She asked. It seemed to me that the conversation I had with her two days prior had really helped her with her social anxiety, even if she was only talking to me. I nodded.

"Sure." I responded. As we made our way to the double doors to exit the cafeteria, I caught a glimpse of Yuri gazing at Mc, who was leaving out of a different set of double doors. I smiled, finding it funny how neither of them knew that their crushes on each other were mutual. I had this smile on my face until Yuri and I pushed through the doors into the hallway.

*Five minutes later*

Yuri and I sat down in our respective seats and waited patiently for the lesson to commence. That is, until I decided to speed things up a bit.

"He likes you back, you know." I whispered to Yuri, who gasped at my sudden statement. Now, you might be wondering why I did this, as it would probably cause Yuri to kill herself earlier. And you would be right. I was trying to make it so Yuri's and Mc's relationship developed as quickly as possible, as I had a decently good idea of where they would be during and before the festival. I didn't have a good way to figure out where they would be together after the fact, so that's why I did this.

"H-how do you k-know that?" Yuri whispered back, nervous. I tried to reassure her with a smile, but it didn't seem to do much.

"Yuri, it's pretty obvious that you have a crush on Mc." I put my hand on her shoulder. "And I'm here to tell you that he feels the same way about you." I was being quick and straight to the point. Yuri looked back down at her hands, which were sitting in her lap.

"Alex... What do I do?" She asked meekly. "I mean, I don't even know how to tell him." Small tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "How would I even start?" Yuri's tone scared me. It wasn't a normal questioning tone, nor was it an embarrassed tone. It was scared. She wasn't mentally prepared for anything of this nature. It might seem stupid to you for someone to be scared by something like this, but Yuri was a VERY mentally fragile person. I quickly changed my tone to something a lot softer.

"Hey, hey... calm down." I put my hand on her back, trying to calm her down. "This isn't that big a deal. You don't need to confess right away. Just tell him when you feel like the time is right." Yuri turned to me.

"But how will I know when that time is?" She asked. I smiled at her reassuringly.

"You won't. It'll be a leap of faith. It'll be scary at the beginning, but by the end, you'll feel like a whole new person." I said. Yuri smiled faintly. It seemed like what I was saying was actually helping Yuri.

"Alex, you always seem to know what to say to make me feel better." She stated quietly. I laughed internally.

"Let's just say this isn't the first time I've known someone like you." Was all I said. It was at this moment that the bell rang, and we both faced towards the front of the classroom. I looked out of the corner of my eye at Yuri. "Think about what I said, okay Yuri?" Yuri didn't give me a vocal answer, but I could see a faint smile on her face.

*One class later*

Yuri didn't stick around when the bell rang, instead opting to rush out of the classroom as fast as possible. I couldn't blame her, that lesson was boring as hell. Moving on, I started out the door and down the hallway, making my way to geography.

It was already like clockwork at this point. Walk through doorway, walk to desk, sit down, pay attention. My body was easy to get on autopilot, so much so that I didn't even notice Tiffany sitting in my seat until I was standing right next to it. We both seemed to surprise each other, because as soon as she looked in my general direction, we locked gazes in pure confusion. It had almost been ten seconds before one of us finally said something.

"So... you seem to be in my seat." I pointed out awkwardly. Tiffany looked at me, then my desk, then back at me, then back at my desk. Her eyes widened when she noticed her mistake, and she promptly scooted over to the chair next to her.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't notice we had assigned desks!" She apologized. I laughed as I sat down.

"Don't worry about it, Tiffany. We all make mistakes." I reassured her, which seemed to be something that I was doing quite often as of recently. Tiffany sighed.

"Ever since I got here, I've just been so worried about offending people. I mean, the Japanese have such different beliefs than us." She said. I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, they do have different beliefs, but it isn't as easy to offend them as you might think. In fact, Natsuki was actually really worried about offending you earlier." I instantly regretted saying that, knowing that Natsuki probably wouldn't appreciate me telling people about her softer side. However, it seemed like I'd piqued Tiffany's interest.

"But why would she be worried about offending me? It isn't like there's much that I'd find offensive." Tiffany wondered. It seemed like I was backed into a corner, so I had no choice but to explain it to Tiffany.

"Well, she felt like she was being a bit cold to you on the way to school today, so she thought that you didn't like her after that." I explained. "On top of that, she wasn't quite sure what you would take as being racist." Tiffany took a moment to think on my words, then responded in a surprisingly soft tone.

"Wow, she's the first person to actually care about not being mean to me..." She trailed off, presumably deep in thought. I watched her transition into a thousand-yard stare until it became uncomfortable, so I waved my hand in her face and she snapped back to reality.

"Hey, I know you didn't want to talk about it, but I would really like to know what you meant earlier by not having the best time with racism." I said. Tiffany looked anxiously at her desk, desperately wanting the topic to change.

"I-I'm sorry, Alex... I just can't..." She quietly said. I could see that it was a sensitive topic for her, so I put together what I knew and tried my best at deduction.

"You're having trouble with your neighbour, aren't you?" It was more of a statement than a question, and it seemed like I'd hit the mark, because Tiffany looked at me sadly.

"How did you know?" She questioned. I returned her gaze of sadness, but not consciously.

"That neighbour is Natsuki's father." I stated, causing Tiffany to gasp. "She didn't want you to judge her based on her father's actions, so she didn't tell you." I was hoping that I was right, or else things could get really ugly. Tiffany went back to staring at her desk.

"Oh my god... W-what kind of father..." She trailed off. I gave her a questioning look, thoroughly confused by what she had just said.

"What did you say?" I inquired. Tiffany slowly turned her head to me, her eyes displaying intense fear.

"T-there were bars on the windows. A-all of them." She stuttered. "T-the house had security cameras all around the property, most of them p-pointed at o-our h-house." Tiffany was starting to freak me and herself out. "H-he yelled at us to leave when we tried to introduce o-ourselves, calling us more slurs than I could count." Tiffany began to sweat profusely. I tried to calm her down.

"Woah, woah. Calm down, Tiffany." But she kept on going.

"W-what the fuck is going on in that household?" She stammered. "W-what t-the f-fuck..." I put my hand on her shoulder, snapping her back to reality.

"Tiffany." I said sternly. "Calm down. I know exactly what you're thinking, but even if what you're thinking is true, there isn't anything that we can do right now." I couldn't let her get involved. I couldn't let anyone else get hurt. If anyone was going to get hurt saving Natsuki, it would be me. Tiffany looked like she wanted to argue, but the bell rang before she could even open her mouth.

"I'll talk to you later, Tiffany." I told her. She didn't say anything and merely looked towards the front of the classroom with a concerned look on her face.

*One class later*

As soon as the bell rang, Tiffany grabbed all her things and rushed out the door before anyone else. I just chocked up her quick exit to the stress that our previous conversation had raised. I followed suit, only more calm, and began towards my locker. This time, I had put Natsuki's manga in its own pouch in my backpack to prevent it from getting damaged. Partly because I didn't want to get yelled at again, but mostly because it was difficult enough for her to just own these things with her father around.

Oddly, nothing happened on the way to the Literature Club. I didn't even see anyone on the way. Honestly, I wasn't complaining. If I had to deal with Chad or Okane one more time, I was pretty sure one of us would end up dead, and it wouldn't be me.

Anyway, I soon found myself standing directly in front of the clubroom door. It was at this moment that I remembered what happens on that day in the game, and mentally panicked while I desperately tried to think up a plan to avoid it. However, I wasn't even able to start planning before I heard Natsuki's voice next to me.

"Hey, there's a line behind you!" I turned around to find an annoyed Natsuki, tapping her foot against the floor impatiently. I looked at her right hand to find her holding three large cookies, two chocolate, one plain. I quickly stepped aside.

"Ladies first." I gestured her to the door. Natsuki smiled, then passed me one of the chocolate cookies on her way past. I took it, then followed her through the door as I heard Sayori's voice calling out from inside the clubroom.

"B-but... You wouldn't have come if it weren't for the cupcakes... So I had to trick Natsuki into making them!" Mc then said something about Sayori needing to give him more credit, and my only thought was:

'_Ah, shit. Here we go again...'_ I walked into the room just in time to see Natsuki throwing the plain cookie at Sayori, which hit her directly in the face and bounced onto the desk in front of her. I laughed, which unfortunately made the others aware of our presence. Natsuki didn't seem fazed by it, however.

"I was going to just give it to you, but then you decided to blab about the cupcakes, and I just couldn't help myself." Natsuki smiled. Instead of feeling hurt, Sayori smiled at Natsuki. She picked up the cookie and began to ferociously tear open the plastic wrapping.

"Thanks, Nat!" She then bit into the cookie ravenously, then her eyes widened. "Ah! I bit my tongue!" It was difficult to hear exactly what she said, but that was the general idea of her words.

"Geez, you sure are making a big deal out of this one cookie." Natsuki said as she began opening the plastic wrap around her cookie. Sayori's eyes widened even more.

"Oh! Yours looks so good, Nat! Can I taste it?" She asked. Natsuki put on an expression of mock annoyance.

"No! You already have one!" Natsuki answered playfully. Sayori looked down sadly, but quickly looked back up at Natsuki with the desperate puppy-dog eyes.

"B-but yours is chocolate!" She begged. Natsuki just stared at her.

"Yeah, why did you think I gave you that one?" She said. Sayori finally gave up the act and went back to her happy old self, smiling as if the world were perfect.

"That's okay! Thanks for the cookie!" Yup, she really was a kid. Sayori walked behind Natsuki and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. Natsuki groaned as she looked to the side in embarrassment.

"Okay, okay. I get it." She tried to wave Sayori away with her hand that was holding the cookie, but Sayori leaned down and bit off half of it, much to Natsuki's dismay. "What the hell?! Did you seriously just do that?!" She exclaimed. Sayori giggled, her mouth full of chocolate, and trotted away to safety. Everyone laughed, all except for Natsuki, who was pouting about the loss of the opportunity to eat a full cookie.

I took the opportunity to take off my backpack, pull out the manga, and tap it on Natsuki's head while she was still looking the other way. She turned around quickly, then snagged the manga out of my hands before I could say anything.

"Hey, I was careful this time." I said. Natsuki ignored me and continued to look over the manga, checking for even the tiniest crease. When she was absolutely positive it was in perfect condition, she looked at me, content that I didn't destroy her manga.

"Not bad." She admitted. "Are you ready to go read more?" She gestured at the closet, and I immediately nodded. I was starting to legitimately enjoy reading this series, even though it usually wasn't my kind of thing. I was a bigger fan of action-adventure stories, so the fact that I was enjoying a high school romance series was jarring to me. However, I wasn't complaining.

As I followed Natsuki into the closet, she suddenly stopped and looked up at one of the shelves. "What the hell?!" She exclaimed. I looked inside, already knowing what I'd see, and sure enough, her manga collection was on the top shelf. It was too high for her to reach, and hell, too high for ME to reach. She made a couple of futile hops to reach it, but quickly gave up. She spied a collapsible stool hanging on the wall nearby, then promptly grabbed it off the wall and put it next to the shelf.

She got up on it, but it was quite wobbly. She took a few seconds to regain her balance, then reached for the smallest box of manga.

"Be careful." I told her, but she just gave me an annoyed look.

"I know that." She was probably connecting my advice to teasing her about her height, so I kept my mouth shut. She grabbed the box, but the sudden change in weight caused her to almost fall. I got into position to catch her if she fell, but she didn't need it. After a few seconds to balance herself, she leaped off the stool and landed on her feet, holding the box of manga above her head triumphantly as if it were a trophy. She looked proud, but it was pretty obvious that she was a bit shaken.

"Maybe it's best if I grab the rest..." I stated as I took a step forward, but Natsuki stood in front of me, blocking my path to the stool. She had an annoyed look on her face.

"I can do it myself, thank you very much." She said condescendingly as she placed the first box of manga on the bottom shelf. "All I need is something higher than this stool..." She stood up and scanned the clubroom outside the closet, her gaze eventually resting on the swivel chair at the front of the room. All of the other chairs were actually connected to their respective desks, so that only left the one option.

She walked across the room, grabbed the chair, and dragged it across the floor towards the closet. No one paid her any mind, all except for Monika, who immediately after looked at me knowingly. She'd probably lived through this moment before, so she knew just as well as I did how this was going to go. I didn't have much time to think of a way out of this before Natsuki slid the chair into the closet.

"Hey, Natsuki?" I started. "I'm not making fun of your height or anything, but there's times when you need to recognize your body's limits and get help from someone else." I was desperately trying to avoid the events that were about to transpire, but to my dismay, Natsuki just gave me an annoyed grunt and pushed the chair next to the shelf. She climbed up onto it, then reached for the second box of manga. The chair turned underneath her, and she grabbed onto the shelf to steady herself. She turned her head and stared at me.

"A little help here?" She said, you guessed it, annoyed. Seeing that there wasn't any way out of this, I reluctantly stepped forward and grabbed onto the arms of the chair, holding it in place. Due to the height it was set at, I had to bend over slightly in order to hold it. Because of this, if I looked even slightly up, I had a full view up Natsuki's skirt. I was mentally panicking, so much that I could feel the sweat begin to pool on my forehead already. Against my better judgement, I tried my best to explain the situation to Natsuki.

"Hey, um, Natsuki?" I began, nervous. "I'm not one-hundred percent sure you thought this all the way through." Natsuki gave out an exasperated sigh.

"What do you mean, 'I didn't think this all the way through'?" She spat. I sighed, then prepared to tell her the most awkward news I'd ever uttered.

"Well... you see..." But the words wouldn't come out. After a few seconds, Natsuki complained again.

"What do you mean?!" She startled me, so my brain decided to go into fuck-it mode.

"Thewaythatyouvesetthechairsheighttobeforcesmetobeinapositionthatmakesitsoifilookupicanseedirectlyupyourskirtandimnottryingtoidnevertrytodosomethinglikethatimnotapervertiswear!" Natsuki froze in place, both mortified and embarrassed. I was feeling about the same way. I kept my head down, determined to not look. After what felt like five minutes, Natsuki finally spoke.

"O-oh..." She squeaked. "I s-see why y-you didn't want to do this n-now..." She began to sweat. My grip on the chair arms was getting a bit weaker due to the sweat that was being produced from my palms. "Alex?" I heard Natsuki say.

"Yeah?" I asked. I was just waiting for her to yell at me at this point, so I braced myself. Surprisingly, the next thing she said wasn't angry.

"Just don't look." Was all she said. I abided by her request as I steadied the chair. She reached for the second box of manga, but didn't move as she held it. She just stood on the chair completely still.

"Um... are you okay?" I inquired. Natsuki jumped slightly, as if she forgot I was there.

"Hey, could you maybe grab this box from me? It's really heavy, and I don't think I can get down from here while carrying it." Just what I expected her to say. Still looking down, I spoke.

"Okay. Just give me a second." I slowly brought my hands off of the chair, paying attention to even the tiniest movements to make sure Natsuki kept her balance. After I was sure everything was fine, I took a step back. "Alright, you can hand me the box now." Natsuki slowly turned around on the chair, knowing that even the smallest movement could send her tumbling. After an agonizing ten seconds of stress, she was half turned around. Unfortunately, when she began to move her foot to turn around a bit more, the chair began to swivel.

This caused a chain reaction of Natsuki re-balancing herself, then the chair swiveling in the opposite direction with an even stronger movement. Then, everything happened at once. The chair's swivelling got so extreme that it took Natsuki's legs out from under her. The box of manga went flying out of her hand. I surged forward to catch Natsuki, but I was a bit off and I instantly regretted my decision as I felt Natsuki's full body weight collapse on top of me, knocking me to the ground. I heard the sound of books falling everywhere, the swivel chair falling over, and Natsuki's groans of pain.

I found myself laying on the ground just outside the closet with a weight on my chest. I hadn't even opened my eyes yet, but I could just tell what that weight was. I slowly opened my eyes, and found my gaze taken up completely by Natsuki's face. She, too, opened her eyes and took a few seconds to figure out what just happened. When she noticed what she was laying on, she yelped in surprise an pushed herself to her knees, using my chest as the point of contact. She then punched me in the chest.

"Ow! What was that for?!" I asked as we both got up. Natsuki crossed her arms and pouted.

"You could've kept the chair balanced as I was turning around." She complained. This annoyed me.

"Then why didn't you tell me to?" I inquired. Natsuki opened her mouth to react, but Monika walked over before she could.

"What happened here?" Monika asked as she walked up to us. She had an expression of neutrality on her face, which makes sense considering that she'd lived through this moment multiple times before. Natsuki looked angry.

"Why would you put my manga on the top shelf? Are you TRYING to kill your club members, Monika?!" Natsuki complained. Monika smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, Natsuki. The teacher didn't like us using up all of the shelf space, so I had to move some things around." She apologized. "I was going to bring them down earlier, but I guess I just forgot somehow." Natsuki was stunned. She froze in place with a blank stare on her face. It wasn't until I waved my hand in front of her eyes that she snapped out of her stupor and responded.

"Right. Anyway, you can go now." She said commandingly. In any other club, that probably would've gotten her kicked out. Instead, Monika merely nodded and walked back to where Sayori was sitting, seemingly watching our entire conversation. I looked back at Natsuki.

"I should probably get the rest of the boxes." I said as I tried to walk past Natsuki. However, as I began moving, Natsuki gasped. I looked at her and found her staring at the place where we'd fallen. I followed her gaze to the floor, and instantly remembered what happens at this moment. There was a volume of manga on the floor with a large crease in it. The cover was practically folded in half. Natsuki rushed forward and grabbed the manga off the floor. She tried desperately to get the crease out, but to no avail. She eventually walked back into the closet, but I could see tears in the corners of her eyes as she walked past me.

I followed her inside to find her kneeling next to the half-empty box of manga that she'd dropped earlier. She was half-heartedly putting the volumes of manga back inside. I walked over and kneeled down next to her. She was crying. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked softly. Natsuki didn't respond, but she didn't shrug me off either. Eventually, she broke down into tears, silently crying.

"It's just..." She spoke between quiet sobs. "Every day... is just so... difficult." She closed her eyes as I tried to comfort her.

"I know how you feel." I began to put the fallen manga volumes back in the box. "You just put up with so much shit every day, until even the tiniest inconvenience can set you off. If I had a dime for every time that happened to me, I wouldn't even be here." As I said this, the image of the safe in my closet popped into my mind. The safe that contained all the money I inherited from my parents.

"W-what?" Natsuki looked at me, still crying, but confused. Then, I remembered what country I was in.

"Oh, sorry. If I had ten yen for every time that happened to me, I wouldn't even be here." I corrected my speech. "I know you don't like talking about it, but from what I've learned, you have a few problems with your dad, bullying, and just people in general. I may not know how that feels, but that doesn't mean I'm completely oblivious to what those kinds of things can do to people. So if it means anything to you, I'm sorry." Even I was shocked by that speech. Back home, I wasn't the best with people, so the fact that I was saying things like that surprised me.

Natsuki's expression slowly changed from sadness, to slight suspicion, to complete thankfulness. She surged forward, still on her knees, and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. She sobbed silently, and I patted the back of her head to comfort her further. After about five minutes, it began to get awkward. Natsuki slowly brought her head back, then looked at me.

"Did you actually not look?" She asked teasingly, obviously back to her old self.

"No." I answered confidently, then smiled at Natsuki. She looked a bit off to the side, blushing.

"Heh. Your loss." She joked. I laughed, then we got back to picking up the manga and depositing it into the box. After another five minutes, we were finally done. I'd used the collapsible stool to grab the other three boxes and handed them down to Natsuki. When we were ACTUALLY finally done, Natsuki grabbed volume three of Parfait Girls from one of the boxes.

"We don't have much time left, but would you like to continue reading anyway?" She asked. I nodded.

"Sure. That's why I came over here in the first place." I responded. Natsuki smiled gleefully, then pulled me by the hand to the windowsill where we'd read for the past three days. We sat down side-by-side and began to read.

*Twenty minutes later*

"Okay, everyone! Time to share poems!" Monika's voice resonated throughout the clubroom. "It's a bit earlier today, but I have an announcement for afterwards." I closed the manga and pushed myself to my feet. I held my hand out to the still-sitting Natsuki to help her up. She took my arm and pulled herself to her feet. Over the past three days, it had seemed like Natsuki warmed up to me much faster than she would've with any other person.

I grabbed my (Monika's) poem from my backpack and began towards Monika. She had a smile on her face as I walked over, but I could definitely tell that she was anxious. When I got over to her, I handed her the poem.

"I don't even need to read it." She giggled. Yup, she was anxious. I looked at her, concerned.

"Monika, what's wrong?" I asked. Monika's cheerful smile instantly transitioned into a frown. She sighed deeply.

"I'm just so worried about Sayori." She admitted. "It's going to be so difficult to get rid of her depression. I just feel so selfish for asking you for help when you have Natsuki to worry about." She looked down in shame. "I don't deserve your help..." I gritted my teeth.

"Monika." I said commandingly. "Why are you being like this?" Monika looked up in shock of my tone, the tears still in her eyes.

"W-what are you talking about?" She asked, confused. I sighed frustratedly.

"Monika, I care about the other club members just as much as you do." I stated. "Where'd the confident Monika go? Huh? Where did they go? I remember back in the game where you were always so sure of what you were doing." Monika looked down again.

"That isn't me... Not anymore, anyway." She said, dejected. "I was a monster. I killed all my friends so I could be with someone that was incapable of loving me back. I can't forgive myself for what I've done." She began to silently cry again. I gritted my teeth harder.

"Monika, get yourself to-fucking-gether." I ordered. Monika looked up in shock.

"W-what?" She was even more confused.

"If you can't learn to forgive yourself, then how are you supposed to save anyone?" I questioned. "The first step to saving them is to accept what you did and move on. Yes, you killed them. And no, we can't change that. But we CAN fix what you did. I'm perfectly fine with helping you with Sayori. She's as important to me as she is to you, but you need to get your act together if we're going to save them. The Monika I know doesn't just back down from a challenge. Now, which is it going to be? Are you going to hang on to your past and give up, or are you going to let go and save them all?"

Monika was frozen in shock of my speech. In fact, even I was surprised by my words. Even so, I felt like I owed this to Monika. In addition to helping me let go of my losses, she'd given me the chance to forge my own future. Monika blinked a few times, then slowly smiled.

"I'd rather choose the second option." She joked. I smiled, knowing that the Monika I knew was finally back. Before anything else could happen, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I found Sayori staring at me.

"Are you two done?" She nervously tapped her fingers together. "Not to be rude or anything..."

"You're not being rude at all, Sayori." Monika came up from behind me. "We were just finishing up, anyway." Earlier, it had seemed like Monika's confidence was just an act, but now, it sounded genuine. It was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

*Ten minutes later*

Poem sharing had basically gone the same as last time. Mc teased me about liking Natsuki, Sayori liked it, Yuri was indifferent, and Natsuki loved it. When everyone was done sharing their poems, Monika called out from the rectangle of six desks.

"Okay, everyone! I have an announcement to make!" Everyone collectively walked to their respective seats. I say 'respective' because each club member sat in the exact same seat as they did the last time we'd sat there. It was almost some sort of unsaid agreement of chair assignment. Each club member silently sat down as Monika began to speak.

"As you know, the school festival is coming up." She announced, putting her fingers in the steeple position. "And I believe that holding an event would be the best way to gain new members." Natsuki groaned.

"Do we have to do something for the festival? We'll just end up embarrassing ourselves as opposed to getting new members." She complained.

"We'll never know if we never try, Natsuki. Have some faith." Monika said as Natsuki crossed her arms. "Besides, Sayori's already begun to make posters for our event." She pointed over to Sayori, who smiled and picked up a poster that was sitting next to her desk. It featured the words 'Literature Club' over the top with a picture of a book underneath. There were a bunch of other small details, but it would take way too long to list them all. Natsuki froze.

"Y-you haven't already started putting these up around the school, have you?" Natsuki asked. I looked at her in confusion.

"Natsuki... we walked past five of them on the way to science today..." It was true. I didn't notice it at the time, but we'd walked past just that many copies of Sayori's poster on the way to science.

"Can you at least tell me that the event that you have planned isn't too embarrassing?" Natsuki asked desperately. Monika giggled, then announced proudly:

"We're doing a poem reading performance!" Natsuki and Yuri froze, Sayori clapped excitedly, Mc looked on curiously, and I just stayed neutral. No one said anything, but that absence of sound was soon filled in by Natsuki's voice.

"Y-you can't be serious." She stuttered. Monika sighed and opened her mouth to talk, but I cut in.

"I'm sorry for interrupting you, but if I may..." I started. "In my past, there have been many times where I was put into a situation I didn't want to be in. During these points in time, I would just focus on the future and the fact that time moves on no matter what's happening. I would think about the future me and how his life would be affected by what I did, and focus on getting through it. I can tell that both Natsuki and Yuri are nervous about this, but if it helps any, I would advise them to do the same thing. It helps a lot more than you would think." This was the first time so far where I was giving advice to people in a group, so I was more than a little nervous myself. Eventually, however, Yuri exhaled.

"Well said, Alex. I will admit, that tactic is very effective." She said. Ignoring the fact that she just implied that she'd just used my tactic, I turned to Natsuki.

"Well? How about you, Nat?" Natsuki looked between all the others sitting at the table, then slowly smiled.

"Alright, you've convinced me. Let's do this." Everyone slightly cheered.

"Okay! So, in preparation of the event," she explained, "let's do a practice round of poem presenting right now. First, I'll go. Then Sayori, followed by Yuri, then Mc, then Natsuki, finishing off with Alex. Any objections?" No one said anything. "Okay, then! I'll start now." Instead of walking up to the podium to read it like in the game, Monika instead pulled out a notepad and flipped through it until she reached her desired poem. She read it out loud confidently, and I recognized it as the same poem she shared during our first poem sharing session.

*Ten minutes later*

Natsuki finished reading her poem, folding the paper in half and putting it in her binder. I reached into my pocket to grab my poem, but the sound of the bell ringing prematurely ended our session. Natsuki groaned in frustration.

"Dammit, why did it have to ring then?! Why does Alex get a free pass?" She whined. I laughed.

"I wouldn't really call it a 'free pass' anyway. I honestly wanted to perform." I said truthfully. Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"Weirdo." She said. I smirked.

"The weirdo you hang out with." I rebounded. Natsuki blushed furiously, then slapped me.

"Shut up!" She yelled, embarrassed. I rubbed my cheek in pain.

"You know, you hit like a freight train." I complained. Natsuki gave me a concerned look, then crossed her arms when she noticed my joking smile.

"Oh, you're fine!" She said. I smirked again.

"Thanks." Natsuki stared at me confusedly, then her expression slowly changed to annoyance as she understood the joke. She was blushing even harder.

"SHUT UP!" She tried to slap me again, but I grabbed her wrist before it could get to me. She struggled for a few seconds before giving up, then I let go.

"Okay, can we get moving now? I don't have all day!" Mc complained from the doorway.

"Coming!" I called as I pushed myself out of my seat. Natsuki did the same, then rushed past me before I could even start moving. I was about to chase after her when I heard Monika's voice from behind me.

"Alex, I still need you to talk to Sayori later. I need her to open up to me, and you're the only one who can do that." I turned around to face Monika, then gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Monika. I promise I'll talk to her. We're in this together, right?" I began to pick up my backpack as Monika spoke again.

"We have one shot, Alex. We can't screw this up." She explained. I began to walk away, but continued to speak to Monika.

"One shot is all I need." I waved to her. "See you tomorrow." I walked over to the doorway where Mc, Sayori, and Natsuki were all waiting for me. Natsuki had her arms crossed and was pouting at me.

"Took you long enough." She complained. I was tempted to pat her on the head to annoy her, but I refrained from doing so.

*Five minutes later*

Mc led us down the corridor and threw open the double doors exiting the school. Once we were outside, Sayori caught up with him and began to chat. I found it so funny how Sayori always wanted to be standing next to him. I smiled in amusement at her actions and saw something out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head to see Tiffany running towards us at full speed. Natsuki, Mc, and Sayori seemed to notice her too and promptly stopped in their tracks. We all waited until Tiffany was right in front of us, bent over and breathing heavily in exhaustion.

"I... caught... up..." She spoke in between deep breaths. We were all confused by her being there. She wasn't in any clubs, so there wasn't any reason for her to be at school that late.

"Why are you still at school? Did you already join a club?" I inquired. Tiffany held up a finger in a 'give me a second here' gesture and took a few more seconds to catch her breath. When she was finally done almost hyperventilating, she stood up straight and explained.

"I had some extra work that I needed to get done, so I was doing it on that bench over there." She pointed to a bench over in the corner of the school property. "I was hoping to walk back with you guys, and I just so happened to finish when I saw you walking out the doors. I rushed over here as fast as I could."

"Yeah, we could all figure out that last part on our own." I joked. "So, you want to come with us?" I waved her over. She smiled.

"Sure! Oh, Mc?" She rushed over to Mc as soon as we started moving again, walking next to him and probably unleashing a torrent of questions that Natsuki and I couldn't hear. I wondered how she recovered from what happened during geography, but those thoughts were quickly put aside as Tiffany, Mc, and Sayori crossed the gate out of the school property. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Tiffany was grabbed by a pair of invading hands and violently dragged to the side. Mc and Sayori turned and tried to help her, but they were pushed away by another pair of hands.

"You thought that was the end of that, now didn't you?" A voice screamed from around the corner. I sighed in anger, easily recognizing the voice. I rushed over to the gateway and sure enough, over to the right were Okane and Chad, Chad holding Tiffany from behind with an arm around her neck.

This time, I didn't even give them the chance to notice I was there. I bolted forward and reared my fist back, poised to strike. Tiffany's head was right next to Chad's, so I had to be careful. Okane was the first to notice I was there, but he only noticed as my fist connected with Chad's face. I didn't put any lateral motion into my punch so as to not hit Tiffany. Instead, I un-balled my fist and brought it back, grabbing the back of Tiffany's head as I did so.

The hit that Chad had just took caused his grip to loosen, allowing me to pull Tiffany away from them. I maneuvered mine and Tiffany's bodies so that she was behind me. Okane snapped out of his sudden confusion and started towards me just as I was bringing my leg up. I thrust my foot forward, catching him right in the chest and he staggered backward. Both Chad and Okane were now on the ground, but they were already pushing themselves to their feet.

As soon as they were upright, I grabbed the sides of their heads before they could do anything. I pulled their heads away from each other a little, then threw their craniums against each other as hard as I could. They bounced off after suffering from the collision, and I relaxed my arms to allow them to keep moving.

My hands eventually found themselves in between Okane's and Chad's heads. I parted my hands and struck Okane and Chad in the heads once more, knocking them both away from the other. Chad fell on his side to my right, and Okane did the same to my left. This entire series of events took place in about ten seconds, and they were stunned by it. I turned around to face Tiffany and the others.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked. Tiffany smiled graciously.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." Her expression changed to one of worry and she looked past me. I turned around and saw Chad helping Okane up. He was looking at me with seething anger.

"Fucking Eskimo!" He screamed. "Ever since you came here, you've been nothing but trouble! Defending those lower creatures, and the n****r!" I gritted my teeth in anger and stomped towards Chad, who had just finished getting Okane to his feet. I clasped my right hand around his neck and held him up. Okane backed away and I pointed my left index finger right in front of Chad's face.

"What did I say would happen if you said that again?" I angrily asked him. He didn't respond. "No? Well, I suppose I'll have to remind you: I will shove your skull down your fucking throat. Now listen up: I don't make threats. I make promises. And saying I've been nothing but trouble? Don't make me laugh! Ever since I met you two assholes, you've done nothing but insult, bully, and assault everyone that isn't Japanese, white, and male. The fact that YOU of all people are accusing me of being nothing but trouble is the thing that REALLY pisses me off. So, consider this a warning, because the next time, you won't be so lucky."

I let go of Chad's neck and he fell on his ass, a shaken expression on his face. He quickly scrambled to his feet and ran down the road, passing by Okane, who still had the terrified 'thousand-yard stare' look on his face. I gave him a threatening stare, and he rushed down the street after Chad. From behind me, I could hear Natsuki's voice saying: "Holy shit..."

*Thirty minutes later*

Nothing really happened between that event and arriving at Mc's house. We talked and joked along the way as usual, but Sayori strangely stayed absent from our conversations, instead opting to stay in the back and follow along silently. For some reason, no one really took any notice of Sayori's sudden change in personality, but I knew better. Her depression was finally beginning to catch up to her. I HAD to talk to her tonight, or she would be dead by Monday. Mc's voice jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Alright, see you later!" He waved goodbye to Sayori, Natsuki, and Tiffany as we made our way to his front door. "So, you had another encounter with Chad and Okane earlier, huh? From what it sounds like, that wasn't the first time they called her the N-word." He asked as he unlocked the door.

"Yup. I found her being pinned up on one of the lockers by Chad on my way to lunch today. She kicked Chad in the crotch to get free, but that only made him angrier, and that's when he said it. You should know the rest." I explained. Mc finished unlocking his door and gestured to let me inside. I waved him off.

"No thanks, I'll stay out here for a bit. I haven't been in the best shape recently, so I'll probably go for a jog." Mc looked skeptical.

"Not in the best shape? You've won three fights one-on-two in the past three days." He pointed out. I sighed.

"That wasn't strength. That was tactics. I knew what to do during the fights to get around my lack of strength." I lied. Mc shrugged, my excuse seeming to satisfy him.

"Alright, then. See you later." He waved at me as he walked inside.

"See you." I waved back as he closed the door. I didn't hear a locking sound, which made sense. Why did I check to see if he locked it? I don't know. Paranoia? Probably. Anyway, I turned to the direction of Sayori's house when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and answered it, knowing it could only be one person.

"Sup, Monika?" I greeted.

"Hello, Alex. Have you talked to Sayori yet?" Monika asked.

"I just got back to Mc's place. I was just about to go over to Sayori's to talk to her." I said.

"Okay, call me when you're done." She requested. I nodded, then remembered that I was talking to her on the phone.

"Got it." I hung up, then began down the street to the house next door.

I walked until I was standing directly in front of Sayori's front door. Just like Mc's house, there only appeared to be one person living there. This confirmed that Sayori didn't live with her parents either. I rung the doorbell and waited, but no one answered. I tried again, but the same thing happened. Curious, I tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. I smiled to myself.

'_You can't even remember to lock your own door? Well, that makes this easier, then.'_

I froze, thinking about the morals about what I was about to do. Was it really right to just barge into her house uninvited? Then again, Mc would always do it when they were younger, so... Ah, fuck it.

I opened the door and walked into what seemed to be a carbon copy of Mc's house. It had the same layout and everything. Against my better judgment, I called out.

"Sayori?" I called out to nowhere in particular. My voice echoed throughout the empty halls, but no one responded. I was beginning to get agitated. Monika said that every world she lived through was different from the last. Could this mean that Sayori killed herself before she was supposed to? I panicked. Already knowing the layout of the house, I rushed inside and up the stairs to the second floor. I ran down the hallway, but stopped in front of a door halfway.

The door was pink, with yellow flowers adorning it as decorations. No doubt about it, this was Sayori's room. She never grows up internally, so it made sense.

"Sayori?" I whispered through the door. No response. This situation seemed familiar, but I couldn't do anything about it. Not only did it remind me of the final moments Mc went through before finding Sayori hanging by the neck, but it also reminded me of when I found my sister in the exact same position. I had no choice, I had to go in, even if it was a breach of her privacy. I slowly moved my hand to the doorknob, grabbing it gently. I turned the knob inch-by-inch until it wouldn't turn any more. I took a deep breath in preparation for what I was about to do.

I slowly opened the door...

And breathed a sigh of relief. Sayori was in her bed, perfectly fine. She was sitting up, staring at me in disbelief. However, that relief didn't last long when I noticed her face.

It was difficult to see, and I had no doubt that Mc would've missed it had he were there, but if you looked close enough, you could see tear tracks going down Sayori's face. Her face was red, probably from a combination of crying and me opening the door to her room uninvited. We stared at each other for about ten seconds before she said something.

"A-Alex? W-what are you doing here?" She asked. Her voice sounded a bit washed out, probably a side-effect from her crying. The view of her like this broke my heart. I had to make this right.

"S-sorry, but I really needed to talk to you in private." I explained. "It's really important." Sayori sat there, confused. Not knowing what to do next, I did the most natural thing anyone would do in this situation: I walked over to her bed and sat next to her.

"Alex... what is this?" Sayori looked even more confused, so I just gave it blunt to her.

"Sayori... I'm just going to be frank with you. I know about your depression." I admitted. Sayori didn't say or do anything. She just turned her head forward again and stopped. Since she wasn't saying anything, I chose to fill in the space on silence.

"I'm not as dense as Mc, Sayori. You've been so cheerful in public, but this afternoon, you just shut down." Sayori said nothing. "If you really think that no one cares about you, then you have no idea about any of us. If you're going through a hard time, then you have to tell us." Sayori slowly turned her head to me. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"That's just the thing, Alex." She said. "I don't want anyone's help. Whenever someone tried to help me with these things, it just feels like a spear is being driven into my heart. I just can't take it when people waste their time on me!" She broke down into tears, burying her face in her hands. I sighed, then put my hand on her back.

"Sayori, helping you isn't a waste of people's time. I know how you feel, because I've gone through what you're going through before." Sayori looked at me in shock as I said those words. "I have depression too, Sayori." Sayori stared at me, tears streaming down her face. After ten seconds, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me, crying into my school blazer.

"A-Alex... I... don't..." She tried to speak, but the words got caught up in her throat. I patted the back of her head.

"Shhhh... It's alright." I comforted her. Sayori continued to sob for a few minutes as I stayed there and comforted her. Finally, she pulled away and looked at me.

"H-how did you know?" She asked as she wiped away her tears. I sighed and debated in my head what to tell her.

"You see, Sayori... Monika also knows about your depression. She told me on my first day here, and we've been trying to work together to help you through it." I lied. Sayori looked surprised, but then went back to sad.

"S-she put you up to this, didn't she?!" She screamed. "She's been trying to get me to open up, but I've refused each and every time! I don't need help! I don't deserve it!" She bent over, sobbing heavily. "I'm not worth it..." She began to sob even harder, which I didn't even know was possible. I put my hand on her back, but she slapped it away.

'_Welp,' _I thought, '_time to bring out the big guns.'_

"Sayori, watch." I told her. She looked up and stopped sobbing, but the tears kept coming. I wiped them off her face, and when I was sure they were gone, I got up.

"Alex?" Sayori sounded confused, and for good reason. I didn't respond, and instead wordlessly began walking towards her desk in the corner of the room. Sayori said nothing, but I could tell that she was worried.

I stopped in front of the desk, looking at the top drawer. I really hoped that it was in there, or else this wouldn't work. I slowly brought my hand to the drawer knob and pulled. It opened with a loud squeak and I stared at the object inside. I reached into the drawer and grabbed onto the object. I pulled back and out came a two-foot long length of rope with a loop at the end: a noose. I turned back to Sayori, who had a mortified expression on her face, and walked back. I sat back down on the bed next to her as she stared at me.

"A-Alex... H-how..." Sayori tried to talk, but the words wouldn't come out. I looked at her sadly and sighed deeply.

"This isn't the first time I've seen someone close to me take the steps towards suicide." Tears began to stream down my face as I spoke. "Sayori, please... I can't lose you, too." The tears came back in Sayori's eyes, almost trying to match mine. Then, even faster than last time, Sayori lunged forward and threw her arms around me. She cried loudly, giving out sobs of despair. I dropped the noose and returned the embrace.

"Alex, why do you and Monika care about me so much? I'm just a waste of space!" Sayori questioned. I shook my head at her.

"Listen, Sayori. All life has meaning, and yours is no exception. Monika and I... we also know about your crush on Mc." Sayori gasped, but didn't say anything. "You felt sad when he began to fall for Yuri, and you just couldn't take it." I deduced. Without taking her face out of my blazer, Sayori began to answer.

"No, you have it wrong, Alex." Sayori pulled away and looked me with an obviously fake smile. "I've been planning this for a long time. I just wanted to make sure Mc had someone other than me before I did it. I was going to do it Friday night, just after helping Monika with the club event flyers." I felt betrayed. Not by Sayori herself, but what she was saying. She was talking about her own suicide as if it were some sort of doctor's appointment!

"I always felt selfish." Sayori continued. "I pressured Mc into joining the literature club because I wanted to spend more time with him." She weakly laughed. "I don't deserve your kindness." The things she was saying... the way she was acting... I'd seen it before. It reminded me of my sister in the days before her death. She said such bad things about herself with a fake smile, blaming herself for our parents' deaths when she couldn't have done anything about it. It was then that I noticed something.

"Sayori... you're like a sister to me, and I'm sure Mc thinks the exact same. Don't you think it'd hurt someone if they'd lost their sister?" I asked. Sayori pondered this for a few seconds before responding.

"What do I do?" She inquired. "How do I get people to stop worrying about me?" I brought my hand up and rested it on her shoulder, looking her directly in the eyes.

"You find help with your depression." I said. "Open up to Monika and let her help you. You don't need to tell anyone else about it until you're ready." Sayori looked at me surprisingly graciously, then lunged forward and encased me into another one of her bone-crushing hugs. This time, however, she didn't squeeze as hard.

"You were talking about Caitlyn, weren't you?" I heard Sayori ask. I looked down at her in shock, barely able to keep the memories away.

"H-how did you know?" I inquired incredulously. Sayori shrugged playfully.

"Lucky guess." She smiled, then went back to an instant frown. "I'm sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel any better, I promise I'll get help from Monika." Sayori leaned further into me, a warm smile now replacing her sad frown. I patted the top of her head, earning myself a giggle from Sayori.

"Would you like to come over? I'm sure Mc would love to spend some more time with you." Sayori pulled away and looked at me with a smile.

"No thanks, I should go to bed early. I haven't been getting much sleep recently." Sayori politely declined. I smiled back at her.

"Suit yourself, and promise me you'll open up to Monika tomorrow." I requested. Sayori enthusiastically nodded.

"Okay! You should also probably leave now. My parents will have a lot of questions if I tell them I had a boy in my room." She teased.

"Wait, what? I thought you lived alone." I said. Sayori giggled.

"I do!" She said playfully. "Now get moving! I'll be fine in the morning!" I was a bit hesitant, but I reluctantly abided with her request. I left her bedroom (making sure to take the noose with me) and bade her farewell. Leaving her house, I made sure to drop the noose into Mc's trash bin at the end of the walkway for the garbage truck to pick up. I looked up and noticed how long I'd been in Sayori's house. It was already dark, and a quick look at my watch confirmed the time as being 9:00. I rushed into Mc's house as fast as I could.

Mc had already gone to bed by the time I was inside, but he left out a plate of sushi with a note talking about how I hadn't been back when he made supper. His choice of dish for supper was interesting, but he made a joke about it being 'the only Japanese food you're guaranteed to know about'. I mean, he wasn't wrong.

Anyway, after eating, I made my way to my room and sat down at my desk. Before starting my next poem, I pulled out my phone and dialed Monika. After two rings, she answered.

"Alex? Did it go well?" She asked before I could say anything.

"It went perfectly." I told her. "She said she'll open up to you tomorrow." I heard a sigh of relief from the other end.

"Oh, thank god. Alex, you probably just saved her life." I smiled to myself.

"Yeah, that was kind of my goal." I joked.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I can't talk now. Bye!" She hung up on me. I sighed to myself as I picked up a pencil and started my next poem.

You should know what happened after that. I finished the poem, read Natsuki's manga, and laid down to rest. Before I could close my eyes, however, I heard my phone buzz. I leaned over and picked it up, glaring at the screen. It was a text from Sayori? How did she get my number? Then again, they already knew about Caitlyn, so I guessed it wasn't THAT far-fetched they would already have my phone number too. Opening the app, I read over Sayori's message.

_Sayori: Thanks for the talk today, Alex. I really needed it. As payment, you get my full hope that you and Nat live a long and happy life together! (;_

I smiled to myself as I put my phone back on my side table, amused by Sayori's attempt at teasing. I pulled the covers over myself, thinking about the days to come. I'd gotten Natsuki to trust me quite a bit, but would it really be enough to get her to open up to me about her dad? Only time would tell. As I drifted off, my thoughts wandered to a single phrase, one that Sayori would NOT be saying for once:

Sayonara...

(Author's Note: This amazing new cover art for "Not This Time" was made by my good friend CaperKramer! You can find him lurking in the reviews for "Not This Time", and I give him full credit for this awesome cover!)


	7. Chapter 6: Yuri Nsane

(_Author's Note: I'm SO sorry about how long it took for this chapter to come out. I know I said that updates wouldn't be that long any more, but I just so happened to have a family vacation soon after that announcement. On top of that, we had family over, and I finally got a Nintendo Switch for Christmas, so that was another factor. Again, want to reiterate: I'm sorry for the delay, it hopefully won't happen again. Anyway, on with the chapter!)_

Chapter 6: Yuri Nsane

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"Alex smash!" I slammed my fist down onto the OFF-button of my alarm clock. "Puny clock..."

It was my fourth day in the world of Doki Doki Literature Club, and it just so happened to be a very important day as well. It was Friday, which was the day that Monika assigns tasks to the other club members in preparation for the festival. As I got dressed for the day, I recalled what will happen.

Monika and Sayori would be working together on pamphlets for the club event, so they would be fine. Yuri would be assigned the job of setting up the atmosphere for the club event, so signs, banners, etc. Natsuki would be making cupcakes for the event that would be handed out to the visitors. Finally, Mc would be given the opportunity to choose who to help. In this case, he would obviously choose to help Yuri. I would probably be given the same opportunity, of which I would choose to help Natsuki.

I burst out of my bedroom door, both anxious and excited for the day. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw Mc in his usual place, eating more cereal. He waved hello to me as I walked in, but he continued to look at me strangely, probably confused by my sudden excitement.

"Well, you seem excited. What's up?" He greeted me as I sat down. I smiled at him knowingly.

"It's Friday. When have you ever not been excited on a Friday?" I joked. Mc chuckled, then instantly went back to his cereal. I followed suit.

*Twenty minutes later*

Mc and I exited the house to be met with the familiar scene of Sayori, Natsuki, and Tiffany all waiting at the end of the walkway for us. However, there was an extra person this time. Talking to Sayori, just on the other side of her, was Monika. While it didn't surprise me, it was strange to see her being so playful. She was laughing and talking to Sayori animatedly, as was Sayori to Monika. I smiled, happily aware that Sayori was finally getting the help she needed.

Looking over to Natsuki, I saw that they were also talking. They weren't as enthusiastic as Sayori and Monika, but it was still easy to tell they were already close friends. I thought back to when they were so worried about offending each other, the memory making me chuckle.

"Well, let's go." Mc said from behind me as he finished locking his door. I looked at him and nodded, shortly followed by me beginning the trek towards the others.

The first one to notice us was Monika, who caught a glance from over Sayori's head and promptly waved at us. The others quickly caught on and each had a different reaction to our presence.

Monika kept waving at us, obviously happy, Sayori began jumping up and down excitedly, periodically obscuring Monika's vision with her body, Tiffany merely smiled at our approach, and Natsuki crossed her arms and tried to look annoyed, but was very obviously happy to see us. Natsuki was the first to greet us.

"Took you long enough." She complained with a joking smile on her face. Tiffany lightly shoved her playfully, followed by Natsuki returning the gesture. I laughed at how close those two had gotten in just a day.

"I thought you didn't like being called cute." I teased Natsuki. Her face turned bright red as she tried to charge at me, but Tiffany held her back as everyone laughed. Well, everyone but Natsuki. This seemed to set off Sayori, and she promptly sauntered over to Natsuki and lifted her up, encasing her in another one of her vise-hugs.

Natsuki was now constantly struggling against the force of two people, all because I called her cute... I was proud of it. Unfortunately, the fun was brought to an end when Monika stepped forward.

"While this is hilarious," she laughed, "we should probably move on now. We don't have all day!" Sayori groaned in disappointment and reluctantly let Natsuki go, who was thankfully calmed down.

We started down the street to begin our now-familiar walk to school. Not even ten steps down the road, a loud voice called out from far behind us. We all turned around simultaneously to find Shiro barreling down the sidewalk towards us, sweat beading on his forehead. Natsuki nudged my shoulder.

"Do you know this guy?" She asked, pointing at Shiro, who was panting so loud that we could hear it from that far away.

"That's Shiro. He's a guy who I met in my math class yesterday who moved in from Tokyo." I turned around to face Mc and Sayori. "Hey, haven't you two met him as well?" Mc facepalmed while Sayori crossed her arms behind herself and whistled innocently. Well, I say 'whistled', but it was more just her blowing air out of her mouth, not knowing how to whistle.

I turned back to Shiro, who was about halfway to us by that point. We all just watched him awkwardly as he ran, so much so that Monika even checked her watch.

Finally, he stood right in front of us, doubled over and panting heavily. He held up a finger in a 'give me a moment' gesture without even looking up.

"Not much of a runner, are you?" I asked jokingly. Shiro looked up at me.

"Yeah. If you... couldn't tell... I'm not... very in shape..." He said in between deep pants. Natsuki impatiently shoved past me.

"Who the hell are you and why are you wasting our time like this?!" She demanded angrily. After another five seconds of panting, Shiro was able to stand up straight and looked at Natsuki with a clever smile.

"What, is a guy not allowed to walk to school with his pals? Hey, Mc! Hey, Sayori!" He walked up to the two, completely disregarding everyone else as he walked past the rest of us. Not knowing what else to do, we continued on our daily route to school, this time with an otaku in tow.

Halfway down the road, Monika slowed down to the back and matched my pace next to me.

"Thank you for what you did with Sayori last night." She said with tears in the corners of her eyes. "You don't know just how much this means to me." She looked forward again at Sayori, who was laughing along with Mc and Shiro, despite their previous hints at finding him embarrassing. I smiled, recalling the events that had happened the night before.

"You know, Monika, Sayori really means a lot to both of us." I felt a tear rolling down my right cheek. "Despite the fact that I've only known her for a few days, she's almost like a sister to me." Monika turned to me in shock, causing me to notice what that statement entailed.

"Alex," she started, "if you need someone to talk to, I'm always open." I put up my hand in a 'stop' gesture.

"She's dead, Monika." I stated. "They're all dead, and there's nothing I can do about it." I sighed. "If I dwell on what I've lost, I could lose what I've gained." Monika lost the look of shock on her face, but was only replaced with confusion.

"Alex... what are we to you?" She asked. I was slightly surprised by the question, considering my previous statement. I put my hand to my chin and began to think of an answer.

What were they to me? Classmates? Friends? A flicker on a screen? No, none of these were the answer. There was only one thing that could describe how I felt about the group. I turned back to Monika and answered with a confident smile:

"You're like family." Monika was back to being shocked, but it luckily didn't last long and was replaced with a warm smile. "I have as much reason to thank you as you have to thank me, Monika. You helped me to let go of my past, and now I'm helping you to save your future."

Monika smiled gratefully, clearly happy to know she wasn't alone in this ordeal. Before anything else could be said, Sayori appeared next to us and referred to me.

"Are you excited for the festival this Monday, Alex?" She asked, bouncing up and down in excitement. I smiled at her, happy to see that she was finally beating her depression. Thinking about her question, however, I merely shrugged my shoulders.

"All of the schools that I've gone to before didn't really have any school events like this, so I don't know what to expect." For once, I was actually serious about not knowing what to expect. In the original game, Mc was never able to experience the school festival because Sayori normally hangs herself that very morning. Now that Sayori was getting help from Monika, that wouldn't happen. Suddenly, a terrifying thought crossed my mind.

It was Friday, which was the day that Yuri stabbed herself after confessing to Mc in the original game. Monika told me that the changes that she made to the other members were still in effect, so Yuri's suicide would be coming very soon. Panicking, I tried to remember exactly what happened in the game.

'_Mc chose to help Monika over the weekend, which led to Yuri to get angry and force everyone else out of the room. She confessed to Mc, then stabbed herself no matter what he said in response.' _I remembered. I tried to think of a plan to prevent this from happening, but Sayori's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Are you even listening?" She was trying to sound annoyed, but her smile broke the illusion. My worries thawed out, and I smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry about that, Sayori." I apologized. "What were you saying?" Sayori gave up trying to be annoyed and gave me a wide smile.

"You're in for a surprise, because this school festival will be HUGE!" She extended her arms outward enthusiastically, making Monika giggle. That giggling was instantly stopped, however, when we all heard Tiffany scream. Everyone snapped their heads to her direction, where we were met with a worrying sight.

Natsuki, who had previously been having a conversation with Tiffany just moments ago, was now laying on the ground, completely limp and motionless. Tiffany kneeled down at her side as the rest of us rushed to them. Monika and I kneeled next to Natsuki opposite of Tiffany with the others looking on in extreme worry.

"What happened?" I asked Tiffany as Monika put a hand on Natsuki's forehead.

"I-I don't know!" She exclaimed. "We were just talking about the festival, and she just suddenly fainted!" As she said this, I looked Natsuki over.

Her skin was its normal shade, and a touch to her forearm confirmed that she was still normal temperature. Bringing my ear to her chest, I could still hear a heartbeat and normal breathing. As I got back into the kneeling position, I began to relay this information.

"She isn't suffering any blood loss, she's still breathing, her heartbeat is normal, and she's at a normal body temperature." I said. I said this as if I didn't know what was happening, but it was pretty easy to tell she was malnourished, considering her abusive asshole of a father.

"She just didn't eat enough." Explained Monika, confirming my obvious suspicions. "This isn't the first time this's happened." She reached into her purse and pulled out a nutrient bar, then began to force-feed it to Natsuki. Within a few moments, Natsuki's eyes fluttered open.

"What happened?" She asked as she got up and rubbed her head. In response, Sayori threw herself against Natsuki and wrapped her arms around her, crying into her shoulder. Instead of getting angry or annoyed, Natsuki just let it happen, most likely due to her not knowing what the hell just happened. Tiffany was the first to step up to the plate as I began to pry Sayori off Natsuki.

"You just randomly... fell unconscious." She told her. "Monika said you didn't eat enough?" Natsuki looked defensive the exact second she finished that sentence.

"I... don't want to talk about it..." Surprisingly, Tiffany just agreed and began to help Natsuki up. Then, I had an idea. I tapped Monika's shoulder to get her attention.

"Monika, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked. Monika nodded in affirmation, and we took a few steps back to prevent the others from hearing.

"Alright, I'm just going to say it." I said. "I think we should let Tiffany in on what we're doing." Monika looked shocked, but was just barely able to scream out "WHAT?!" at me. Instead, she calmly cleared her throat and did her best to respond.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She berated me. "If Tiffany finds out about us, not to mention who you truly are this soon-" To prevent her from getting the wrong idea, I quickly cut her off.

"I don't mean that stuff. We'll just tell her that we also have suspicions about Natsuki's father." I explained. Monika lost her disguise of calmness and was back to shocked.

"Wait, she knows about Hiran?" She asked, then realized she must've been leaving some information out. "And before you ask, Hiran is the name of Natsuki's father." I nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, but not much. She's Natsuki's neighbour, and her previous interactions with him have given her some suspicions." I explained. "If we tell her that we also think there's something going on, then she could really help us. She's their neighbour, after all." Monika paused to consider the idea.

"Alright." She said at last. "Let's do it. Only tell her about our 'suspicions', and don't let any other information slip out." We looked at each other for a few seconds, then nodded in agreement.

We joined back with the group just as they continued their journey. Monika gestured me to the back of the group, then walked up to Tiffany. They exchanged a few words that I couldn't make out, and Monika led Tiffany back to me. Tiffany had a worried, but excited expression on her face. As they stopped next to me and matched my pace, it became apparent that Monika and I were flanking Tiffany with me on the left and Monika on her right.

"So, I'm not the only one?" Asked Tiffany. Monika shook her head, but didn't say anything. She probably wanted me to explain it, since this was my idea and all. I cleared my throat and began.

"We can't be sure, but it's most likely that there's some physical and mental abuse going on in Natsuki's home." I explained, then gestured to Monika to pass it on to her. She nodded.

"We've had our suspicions for a while about her home life, but your descriptions of Natsuki's father and their house have all but confirmed them." Monika said. "In addition to what Alex said, however, I believe she might be going through some sexual abuse as well. I looked up her last name of 'Kurushimi' on the school computers and found nothing out of the ordinary. So I switched over to Google and found the name of her father: 'Hiran Kurushimi'." Monika paused to let it sink in.

"But how does that imply she's going through sexual abuse?" Tiffany inquired with a shaken tone.

"I was getting there." Monika said politely. "His name wasn't all I found. I did some more research and unearthed that he was pressed with three charges of sexual assault twenty years ago. However, there somehow wasn't enough evidence to get him prosecuted, despite multiple eyewitness accounts." This pissed me off more than it should have.

"How the hell did they not have enough evidence to arrest him?!" I complained. Monika shushed me then pointed ahead at the others to remind me not to let them hear us. Monika then righted herself and continued.

"He came from a rich family, so it wasn't all that difficult to bail him out." Monika explained. "Surprisingly, a few months later he got married to Kojin Josei, a very rich bank owner in Tokyo. In 2011, Kojin Josei died in an alleyway mugging. Police reports say she was shot to death, but the perpetrator was never found."

"So Natsuki lost her mother when she was eight years old?" Tiffany asked with small tears running down her cheeks. Monika nodded gravely.

"It appears so." Monika confirmed. "From the rumors that I heard, along with my own personal thoughts, I've been able to cobble together a theory as to what happened next. Based on stories from people that knew them personally, Hiran and Kojin were both wonderful people before the accident. After the accident, however, it's believed that Hiran began to drink heavily. Because of this, I think that he began to take out his frustration and grief on his daughter, along with himself. This is all the information I know." Monika finished speaking and turned to us to see our reactions. Tiffany looked shocked, but then quickly recomposed herself.

"Well, if we're all in this together, then we should all probably exchange phone numbers. That way, I can call you two if something happens." Tiffany said.

Monika and I nodded in agreement and fished our phones out of our pockets. We exchanged our phone numbers with Tiffany and disbanded our little group, moving back up to join the others. Natsuki gave me a strange look as we approached, but said nothing. I breathed a sigh of relief, reassured with knowing that we had a third companion in our mission.

*Twenty minutes later*

We walked through the open gateway to the school grounds, and the chaotic chatter of our group ceased. As we made our way to the front door of the school, I saw a flash of purple out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head, I saw Yuri walking towards us in a slightly less graceful trot than usual. I tapped Mc's shoulder and pointed to her, bringing her presence to his attention. Mc turned his head to Yuri, blushed, then looked away in embarrassment. Yuri, however, looked at Mc much more excitedly. Her gaze disturbed me.

"Hello, Mc!" She greeted as she walked up to us. Something about her speech worried me.

"Hey, Yuri." Mc greeted back as he put his hand up in a 'hello' gesture. They looked at each other, a feeling of awkwardness in the air, and said nothing. Tired of the quiet, I chipped into the 'conversation'.

"Are we going to talk, or are we just going to stand here until the end of time?" I joked badly. Mc and Yuri shook their heads and snapped out of their confusion.

"Actually, Alex, is it okay if I talk to Mc in private?" Yuri asked. I didn't feel okay with letting the two of them alone together, considering Yuri was meant to stab herself after confessing to him, but it was too early for that to happen, so I nodded my head and walked inside, waving goodbye to the two of them.

As I walked down the hall, I noticed that people were looking at me as I passed, muttering things under their breath or to their friends. I smiled to myself.

'_Seems like my fights with Okane and Chad aren't going unnoticed.'_ I thought, satisfied with myself.

*Ten minutes later*

As I walked into my math class, my eyes were assaulted by a blinding light. Against my better judgment, I looked directly at the light to locate the source, which turned out to be Shiro's glasses. It seemed like he had some strange curved lenses that were refracting the light behind him into my eyes. Before I could become permanently blind for the rest of my life, Shiro looked towards the front of the class, saving my retinas from serious burn damage. As I walked over to my desk and sat down, I noticed Shiro smiling slyly at me. I sighed.

"You were doing that on purpose, weren't you?" I asked. Shiro let out a small laugh.

"Maybe." He admitted, then his expression suddenly turned serious and he leaned in closer. "What were you, Tiffany, and Monika talking about earlier? I heard the name 'Hiran'." I froze in fear. If Shiro found out about what we're doing, it could throw the entire operation into jeopardy. Not that I didn't trust him, I just wasn't sure he was exactly 'airtight' with secrets. Knowing this, I righted myself and tried to limit the information I gave him.

"Hiran is the name of Natsuki's father." I explained, careful of what I said. "We were just talking about how he was pressed with charges a while back. Nothing too major." Shiro put his hand to his chin, probably thinking about what I said.

"Hiran, you say? You wouldn't by chance be talking about Hiran Kurushimi, would you?" He inquired. I looked at him in shock.

"Yeah, how did you know?" I tried to keep my voice as level as possible.

"He's an old business partner of my father." Shiro explained, sitting proudly. "They worked together in Tokyo up until he moved away. I had no idea he was Natsuki's father, though!" He sounded amazed and surprised, and I was confused by this.

"Did you meet him often?" I asked, trying to get as much information as possible.

"You could say that." Shiro said. "Him and my father were close friends, and he was invited over often. He treated me quite well during his visits. He was almost like an uncle to me." Shiro's expression changed to one of thought and nostalgia, and I could easily tell that he was deep in his memories. He was like this for so long that I considered slapping him awake, but the bell rang before I came to a decision. It snapped Shiro out of his trance and he instantly faced forward. I followed suit as the class started.

*One class later*

I put away my notes as the bell rang, as did Shiro. He began to walk towards the door, but I grabbed his arm before he could. He turned around and I began to talk.

"A word of advice: Don't mention anything I told you to Natsuki, okay?" I requested. "She's a little sensitive about her home life." Shiro looked disappointed, but nodded in acknowledgment. I let go of his arm and he rushed out of the classroom. I chuckled to myself, then followed him out.

As I passed through the doorway out into the hall, I looked to my left to see Natsuki leaning against the wall with her arms crossed again. I was worried that she'd chew me out for somehow being late again (seriously, how is it possible?), but she instead smiled when she saw me.

"So, are you ready to go?" I gestured down the hall. Natsuki snickered.

"Why would I not be ready?" She teased. I thought for a moment, then laughed at my stupidity.

"Good point." I said, then we both laughed at the absurdity of the situation. I began to walk, and Natsuki quickly caught up to me. She was the first to make conversation.

"So, what are you doing to help prepare for the festival?" She asked. I didn't wait a second to answer.

"I'll probably be helping another club member with what they're doing." I said. "There isn't all that much that I'm good at design-wise." Natsuki looked at me strangely.

"What about your poems?" She sounded genuinely confused.

"We're all presenting poems." I pointed out the obvious. "Besides, I'm going to be doing a bit of a different poem than what you're used to." I had the perfect idea for a poem for the festival, and unlike the poems that I'd been making so far, it would be in my normal style. "What will you be doing?" I tried to sound as interested as possible. Natsuki put her hands on her hips proudly.

"I'll be baking cupcakes for the festival!" She announced. We had made it to science by this point, and we were just walking through the door. I thought back to when she baked cupcakes for my first club meeting and how delicious they were.

"Well, knowing you, they'll be amazing." I said as we sat down. Natsuki looked smug.

"You got that right!" She quietly exclaimed, but then looked at me strange. "Wait, you aren't just saying that to get on my good side, are you?" I shook my head.

"Nope, not even a little bit." I denied. "Besides, you only have a good side." I smiled deviously, waiting for Natsuki to get the joke. I didn't have to wait very long, because she punched me in the arm almost a second after I said it. I rubbed my arm in pain, but it was so worth it.

"Dummy." Was the last thing I heard her say before the bell rang, and the class began.

*One class later*

The bell rang, class ended, you get the idea by now. As Natsuki and I were putting our notes away, I saw Okane walking past us in the corner of my eye. I turned my head in his direction as he did the same. He quickly looked away in fear and continued on, not wanting to get his head caved in. I smiled in amusement as I finished getting ready to leave.

"See you in the cafeteria." Natsuki bade me farewell as she walked away. I followed her, but she was nowhere to be seen when I left the classroom.

'_How does she move so quick?'_ I wondered.

*Five minutes later*

As I walked through the doors to the cafeteria, my eyes instantly snapped to our table. Everyone was sitting in their usual spot, and doing their usual thing. Yes, that included Sayori waving her arms in the air to get my attention. I sighed, but didn't complain. It wouldn't help much with her depression. I walked over and sat down in between Natsuki and Monika like usual.

Unlike usual, however, an eighth person strolled up to the table as soon as I sat down. Everyone trained their eyes on the new arrival, and it turned out to be Shiro. He was holding his bento box and looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Hey, uh... could I sit with you guys?" He asked. "I'd rather not sit on the floor to eat again." Despite the fact that his nervousness was a bit uncharacteristic, I was a little tied up with helping Natsuki at the moment, so I ignored it.

"Sure, take a seat." I answered. Shiro nodded in thanks, then plopped down next to Tiffany. Tiffany looked surprisingly comfortable sitting next to Shiro, happy, even. They instantly struck up a conversation, leaving me curious to this sudden change in familiarity between the two of them. I chose not to satiate that curiosity, as I didn't want to be nosy.

'_They probably just have a class together.' _I thought as I opened up my bento box.

As I ate, multiple conversations arose between the others. I raised my head from my lunch and looked around me at everyone else. Ever since I said it, the phrase 'you're like family' had been stuck in my head. Looking around at the others, the phrase rang true. Everyone seemed like one big, happy family. Now, that may seem cliché, but it's the only way I could describe it.

Despite what people would normally assume, I wasn't all that close to my family. Caitlyn and I argued a lot, and my parents and I had very different views on everything, so we never really saw eye-to-eye. That's why when our parents died, I was able to keep it together better than Caitlyn. It fell upon me to help her get through the grief, but as you already know, I wasn't able to.

I felt a tear rolling down my cheek, remembering the horrible events once again. Natsuki was the only one who noticed, so she promptly tapped my shoulder to get my attention.

"Hey, are you alright?" She whispered. I looked at her, the girl who was abused by her father, asking if I was alright. This refocused my thoughts, and I quickly wiped away the tears and nodded my head.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I responded. "Just some bad memories." I smiled at her. She looked at me confusedly, but then shrugged and looked away. I turned back to my lunch and continued to eat, listening to the conversations.

Mc and Shiro seemed to be having a minor disagreement about something, but I couldn't tell what. That uncertainty was dissolved when they both agreed on something that went something like this: "Fuck Oberon". I can safely say that I agree with that statement.

Tiffany and Natsuki were having a conversation, but they were talking so quickly that I couldn't even tell what they were saying. However, I was sure that it had something to do with manga and anime.

Monika and Sayori were talking happily, with Sayori making jokes during their conversation, and Monika laughing at everything Sayori said. I turned my head to look at them, and was mildly surprised to see Monika's arm around Sayori's shoulder. I wasn't going to assume anything, but it was hard not to.

Finally, I looked over at Yuri to find her just merely reading 'Portrait of Markov' quietly. I wondered how many times she'd read that book before, but I was more concerned with the looks she was giving Mc in between pages. Unlike her usual embarrassment, she had an air of obsession around her. Somehow, no one else noticed, but it scared me a lot.

*Thirty minutes later*

I barely ate throughout lunch, and I could see that Yuri wasn't faring much better. Her bento box was completely full and ignored, her attention constantly focused on her book, but mostly Mc. It may seem small, but to me, it was a safe guess that this was the start of her self-destructive tendencies. If I didn't do something soon, Yuri wouldn't make it to the end of the day. I was so close to the deadline, and period three would be my last chance to talk to her before the club session.

Soon enough, everyone had their lunch put away and set their eyes on their next class. Before I knew it, Yuri and I were already in the hallways, walking towards History. We came to a T in the hallway, and I had a sudden, desperate idea. Our history class was to the left, but to the right was a completely empty hallway that had another turn to the left, also presumably empty. Without thinking, I suddenly grabbed Yuri's wrist and yanked her into the empty hallway, her making a small yelp as I did so. I pulled her with me around the second turn, which turned out to be just a small indent in the wall with two bathrooms on the left and right.

When we were both completely out of sight, I let go of Yuri and whispered:

"Okay, we need to talk." Yuri seemed nervous, and for good reason. She'd been acting weird all day around Mc, and she was constantly looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"Alex, w-what is this about?" Yuri asked nervously. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever me saying this would cause.

"Yuri, you're obsessed with Mc." I stated. "If this keeps up, it could lead to self-harm." It wasn't until I finished that sentence that I figured out how stupid it sounded. With Sayori, I had some leverage in the form of her noose to convince her to open up. Here, I had nothing. Lucky for me, or unlucky for me, Yuri understood what I was saying instantly.

"W-what are you talking about, Alex?" Her nervousness was gone, and she now had her 'obsessed' look on her face. "For Mc, I would do anything." She put on an unsettling smile. "A few cuts here and there don't mean anything as long as it's for him." Well, she went from 0 to 100 REAL fast. I put my hands up in defense.

"Woah, woah. Calm down Yuri." But Yuri didn't listen.

"There's only one thing standing in between us..." Yuri lamented. "Alex, does Mc love me back?"

"Y-yes." I said before I could stop myself. I clasped my hand over my mouth, but the damage had already been done. Quicker than I could see, Yuri grabbed something from the bottom of her purse and...

'_OH FUCK!'_ She was now holding a kitchen knife by her torso, the blade aimed directly at her abdomen. She still had the look of obsession in her eyes, with a terrifyingly crazy grin on her face.

Without thinking, I grabbed Yuri's hands, still over the handle of the knife, and tried to pull it away from her. Despite me using a ton of strength, even with it being enhanced, it was still a completely even standoff between us. Yuri, realizing what I was trying to do, shook my hands off and punched me in the chest with her left hand, now off the knife. It didn't hurt much, but it was enough to push me back against the wall.

"Don't get in my way!" Yuri ordered, then pinned me to the wall with her left arm. She raised the knife up and tried to stab me, but I held it back with own hands. Again, despite the enhanced strength, Yuri had the upper hand. The knife inched its way closer to my face. Closer. Closer. Until it was directly in front of my eye, the blade between my eye and my glasses.

Then, just when I thought it was over, Yuri was tackled to the floor by an unknown person. Seeing my chance, I pulled on the knife with all my strength, and finally wrested it from Yuri's hand. Turning back to Yuri, I saw her being held down by Monika, obviously the one who'd saved me. I looked around for something that could help us, and noticed that 'Portrait of Markov' had fallen out of Yuri's purse in the chaos. It was a thick book, and could easily be used as a weapon. I rushed forward, grabbed it off the floor, and turned back to the scuffle that Monika and Yuri were having.

Yuri had managed to reverse the roles, now being on top of Monika. Without hesitation, I ran forward, reared the book over my head, and brought it down onto the back of Yuri's head. She froze for a second before collapsing on top of Monika, completely unconscious. I dragged Yuri off of Monika and extended my hand to help her up. She grabbed it and I hoisted her to her feet.

"How'd you know I was here?" I asked.

"It was your last chance to stop Yuri from killing herself, and I kind of assumed you would use this place to talk to her." She answered, then turned to Yuri's unconscious form on the ground. "More importantly, what do we do with her?"

I walked over to Yuri and kneeled down. "I'll bring her to the nurse. Could you maybe hand me her purse?" I pointed at the purple purse that was now sitting a meter away. It still had everything in it, sans 'Portrait of Markov' and the knife. Monika walked over to the purse, reached down, and picked it up. She walked back to me and handed it to me. I slung it over my arm, feeling a little embarrassed to be wearing a purse.

"What should we do about that?" Monika gestured to the knife on the ground. "We can't just leave it there." I thought for a moment.

"Put it in my backpack. The combination to my locker is 10-22-03." Monika nodded, but didn't move. She was staring at 'Portrait of Markov' on the floor. Suddenly, I remembered all the problems that book caused in other mods.

"Also, burn the fucking book." I spat out, startling Monika. "That thing isn't any normal book. It can cause a lot of trouble in the future, so we'd better get rid of it, understand?" Monika looked at me in confusion.

"Why don't you take the book? You seem to know a lot more about it than me. Here, I'll take Yuri." Monika offered, but I shook my head.

"Something tells me I'm not quite done with Yuri, yet." I explained. "I want to be in the nurse's office with her, just in case." Monika looked like she wanted to protest, but could easily see my logic.

"Alright." She said. "I'll see you at the clubroom. Bye." She turned around to leave, but looked around one more time. "Oh, and Alex?" I looked at her as I picked up Yuri.

"Yeah?" I drove her on.

"I... never mind." She said. "Thanks for helping Yuri." She quickly turned around and rushed away, the book and knife in her purse. A part of me wanted to chase after her and figure out what she was going to say, but the better part of me decided against it, thinking it was probably a bit too invasive of her personal thoughts.

*One hour later*

As I sat next to Yuri's hospital bed in the nurse's office, I began to think of what I'd done so far. I already saved Sayori and Yuri from themselves, but I had yet to save Natsuki. Unlike the others, Natsuki's pain came from outside. Her abusive father was the root of her problems, while Sayori and Yuri's problems came from mental issues. A simple talk with Natsuki wouldn't fix the problem. If I wanted to help her, I had to confront her father.

"Ah, my head..." Yuri's words ejected me from my thoughts, and my gaze focused back on her as she awoke, rubbing her temples in pain. "Where am I?" Yuri hadn't opened her eyes yet, probably not used to the bright lights yet.

"You're in the nurse's office." I answered, startling her. "The nurse is out right now, but he'll be back soon." I watched as Yuri slowly opened her eyes, clearly uncomfortable with the light. After a few blinks, she looked at me with half-opened eyes. Her expression was neutral, but gradually changed to surprise as she slowly figured out where she was.

"Alex... what happened?" She asked. I had already thought up a cover story, and while she wouldn't like it, it would work better than telling her the truth. I took a deep breath and began my fake story.

"While we were walking down the hall towards History, you suddenly collapsed." I lied. "I brought you over to the nurse's office, and he said you were experiencing minor blood loss. When he rolled up your sleeves, he discovered that your arms were covered with cuts." Yuri looked at me in shock as I continued. "Now... I don't want to assume anything... but..." I trailed off, guessing that Yuri already understood what I was going to say. Turned out that I was right in that guess, as Yuri looked down in shame.

"Y-yes, Alex." She admitted. "I've been cutting myself." She slowly rolled up the sleeves of her blazer, revealing tons of tiny cuts that were spotted along the entire length of her arm. The ones toward her wrists were older, almost scars by that point, but the cuts got gradually newer as they traveled up her arm, the highest ones still bleeding a little bit. The scene was depressing, and it was only made worse by Yuri's ashamed expression.

"Yuri... why?" I almost couldn't get the words out. It was one thing to see it on a screen, but seeing the cuts on her arms as real, physical wounds was absolutely horrible.

"E-ever since I was a little girl, I was always f-fascinated with knives." Yuri explained shakily. "The s-shape, the b-beauty, the d-d-danger... O-one day, a kitchen knife fell off the c-countertop while my mother was c-cooking dinner and it grazed my arm. I-it hurt a lot, b-but there was something about it that e-exhilarated me." A tear rolled down her cheek as she continued. "So... one day... when m-my parents weren't looking, I snagged a knife from the kitchen and c-c-cut my wrist. I-it still hurt, b-but it e-excited me more. A-after that I-I couldn't s-stop. I-it became m-my go-to s-stress relief."

Yuri buried her head in her hands and began to sob. I stood up from my chair and kneeled next to Yuri. I lightly grabbed her hands and gently pulled them away from her face, exposing her water-filled eyes. Then, I moved my hands around her and encased her in a gentle, reassuring embrace.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Yuri." I gently told her. "You're worried that people will judge you because of this, and I know how that feels. But more than that, you're worried about what Mc will think, aren't you?" Yuri quietly gasped. She pushed away from me in shock, but quickly calmed down and put her hands in her lap. She stared at them.

"Y-yes." She confirmed. "I-I just couldn't bear it if he knew. I-if he judged me..." She looked like she was about to start crying again. I moved my hand to her chin and gently pushed her head up until she was looking me directly in the eyes.

"Mc's an understanding guy." I said. "He may be a bit dense with people at times, but he really cares about those around him. If he knew about this, he would do his best to help you through it." Yuri's expression didn't change, but I could see her eyes light up just a bit.

"A-are you sure?" She asked.

"I'm positive." I assured her. Yuri's mouth curled up into a small smile of gratitude, and she began to weep tears of joy. She opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment, the door to the hallway opened with excessive force, and the nurse strolled in while staring at a clipboard he was holding in his right hand.

"Okay, Ms. Kizu." He greeted. "You are now clear to return to class. Your blood pressure should be normal now, but I'd suggest taking it easy for the rest of the day, just in case. Your parents have been notified of this issue, and they've scheduled an appointment at the local hospital to insert more blood this Saturday."

If you need clarification, the doctor knew that the reason for Yuri's unconsciousness was due to a concussion. However, I brought up the cuts on her arms and the fact that she was sensitive about them, so the doctor agreed to my cover story. It was against his contract, but he saw how important it was for Yuri, so he went along with it.

"M-my parents know?" Yuri sounded distressed, but the nurse just smiled.

"They only know about the blood loss, Ms. Kizu. They don't know about the cuts or how they got there. Your secret is safe with me." Yuri exhaled in relief, but I looked on at the nurse in confusion.

"_I was listening through the door."_ The nurse mouthed to me when Yuri wasn't looking. I smiled back at him knowingly.

Then, the bell rang. Yup, Yuri and I skipped an entire class because she had some cuts on her arms.

"Well, you two should be off." The nurse said. "Wouldn't want to be late for class, now."

Yuri and I walked out of the nurse's office with a farewell to the nurse, and then split up with a farewell to each other. That was two out of three, and the only person left to help was Natsuki. It was quite lucky that the next class I had was with Tiffany, as we could think up a plan together.

*Two minutes later*

Tiffany wasn't there. Shit. As soon as I noticed this (which was right when I walked into the classroom), I instantly rushed up to the teacher and asked him where she was. He said he didn't know, so I asked if I could step out for a moment to make a phone call. He told me I could, but I had to go back inside as soon as the bell rang. I thanked him and rushed out the door, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I quickly called Tiffany and on the second ring she answered.

"Hello?" She greeted. Her voice sounded strange and reserved, like her nose was plugged.

"Hey, Tiffany. It's Alex. Are you okay?" I asked. I heard a sniffle from the other end.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sick." Tiffany notified. "I didn't feel well after lunch, and it turned out I have a small cold. The nurse said it should clear up by next week." I sighed in both relief and frustration, if that was even possible.

"Well, okay then. I was going to talk to you about the whole 'Natsuki situation', but it's clear you can't right now." I took a breath to say more, but Tiffany took that time to interrupt me.

"Wait, no!" She panicked. "L-listen, if it's for Natsu, then I can-"

"Tiffany, NO." I interrupted her. "I know you're concerned for Nat, and so am I, but you need to know your limits. Get some rest, and we'll talk later." Tiffany let out a groan of disappointment.

"Dammit, I don't just want to sit on the sidelines..." I could understand her disappointment, but that just made it even more frustrating that she couldn't do anything. Suddenly, I had an epiphany.

"Tiffany, do you have a window in your bedroom?" I asked. It must've been a strange request for Tiffany, but she did oblige.

"Yeah. What about it?" Tiffany sounded confused, and for good reason.

"What is the view from it?" I inquired.

"Um... it's looking directly at Natsu's house." Perfect.

"Alright, Tiffany. I have a plan." I stated. "Act as the lookout for Monika and I. If anything suspicious goes on at Natsuki's house, then you tell one of us. It could help us get Hiran convicted." There was silence on the other end, but the silence only lasted a few moments.

"Alex, you can count on me." Tiffany promised. "Anyway, I have to go now. Talk to you later!"

"See you." I hung up just as the bell rang. Remembering what my teacher told me, I ran back inside as soon as I could, a plan finally in place. It was a plan being held together by duct tape and determination, but it was a plan nonetheless.

*One class later*

'_Fucking finally'_ I thought at I heard the bell. The rich, pure tone that signaled the end of the class. Unlike the previous days, that day seemed to take the longest amount of time to get through. I chocked it up to it just being Friday, though. With this in mind, I packed up my notes and walked out of the classroom, excited for yet another club meeting.

As I turned a corner in the hallway, I spotted Monika and Sayori walking up ahead. I called their names to get their attention.

"Hey, Monika! Sayori!" I called. They turned around and Sayori's face lit up as she saw me. She barreled towards me and tackle-hugged me so fast that I almost fell over. It had literally been less than three hours since I'd seen her last, and she was hugging me like I hadn't seen her in three years.

"Wow. You sure are excitable, aren't you?" I joked. Sayori looked up at me and smiled. I ruffled her hair like the child she was and she let go. By this point, Monika had already made her way to us and pulled Sayori back, much to her dismay.

"Her antidepressants work really well, if you didn't notice. Almost too well." Monika laughed. Sayori and I followed suit.

"Well? Should we be off?" I asked. Monika and Sayori nodded. I walked past them and led the way, them following behind me.

*Three minutes later*

As I walked up to the clubroom doors, Sayori rushed past me and burst through the doors, throwing them open in an extravagant way. Monika giggled, then followed Sayori inside. I came in last.

As I strode into the clubroom, I noticed that Sayori and Monika had somehow already gotten over to their usual table to discuss plans for the festival. Looking over at Mc and Yuri, Yuri didn't even look up from their book while Mc looked at me and gave me a friendly wave. I waved back, then turned my attention towards the closet at the back.

I went over to the closet and peeked inside. Natsuki had her back turned and she was looking across the shelves at the back. With a sly smile, I crept inside quietly and snuck up behind her. Then, just as I was about to scare her, she turned around and slapped me. I recoiled in pain, as this slap hurt surprisingly more than the others.

"Ah, shit!" I exclaimed. Natsuki suddenly looked mortified.

"Shit, sorry Alex!" She apologized. "I didn't know that it was you!" Looking at her, I could see that she legitimately felt bad about it, so I did my best to just suck it up.

"Apology accepted, Nat." I said. "This isn't the first time I've been slapped due to a misunderstanding."

"Are you sure?" She questioned. "That's a pretty bad mark on your face." She seemed genuinely concerned.

"What mark? This is just my face." I joked. That seemed to do it, and Natsuki burst out laughing.

"You dork." She said as she finally finished laughing. "Anyway, did you want to continue reading?" I pulled out the volume of manga and gave it to her.

"Is that even a question by this point?" I asked. Natsuki smiled thoughtfully for a moment, then gave me a toothy grin.

"I guess not." She said. "But first, I'm going to go buy a snack. Want to come with me?" Judging by what I know from the original game and some of the mods, it was a safe bet that going with her would be a good idea.

"Sure, lead the way." I stepped to the side and gestured out of the closet. Natsuki strode past me and she guided me out of the closet.

We walked out through the double doors and into the hallway, where I spotted a vending machine just a bit down the hall. Natsuki skipped over to it happily and I trailed behind, having a good idea of what was about to happen. She stopped in front of the vending machine and stared at it, pulling a few small coins out of her pocket. I walked up behind her and spied the coins she was holding.

'_What the hell?' _I thought. '_That's barely enough for the most basic stuff in there!' _I have never claimed to know much about foreign currency, but I knew enough to see that Natsuki had what was the equivalent of fifty cents back in Canada.

I pulled my wallet out of my pocket and peered inside, hoping that Monika thought ahead. Sure enough, all of my Canadian money was replaced with Yen, and a lot of it. I reminded myself to thank Monika later, and tapped Natsuki's shoulder.

"Here, I'll pay." I said. "I can see that you don't have that much." No response. I tapped her shoulder again and repeated myself, but there was still no response. Then, Natsuki began to keel over to the side. With my wallet in my left hand, I quickly caught Natsuki with my right just before she fell. The coins that she was holding fell to the ground and scattered across the floor.

"Natsuki? Natsuki!" I shook her a bit, but to no response. "Shit." I folded my wallet back up and placed it back in my pocket. I used my now-free left hand to lift up Natsuki's legs, while using my right hand to hold up her head. I carried her over to a nearby bench that rest just a bit down the hall and laid her out on it.

'_Wow, she's light as a feather.'_ I thought. I turned around and walked back to the vending machine, picking up the coins that Natsuki dropped as I did. I looked at the snacks in the vending machine, which were surprisingly written in English. At least, it looked like that to me. Monika's translation thing worked for more than just speech, it seemed.

Despite being able to read the packaging, I still struggled to understand exactly what they were. That may sound dumb, but I think I can be forgiven for not knowing what a 'Strawberry Pocky' is. So, I just picked something at random and put the respective amount of money in the machine. Pulling out what I ordered at random, I read what it said on the packaging: 'Soft Senbei'.

It was a plastic packaging containing ten of what looked like sugar cookies. I shrugged, thinking that Natsuki would probably like it. I turned to my right, back towards the bench that I left Natsuki on. Walking down the hall towards the bench, I sat down next to the sleeping Natsuki.

I propped her back into a sitting position and sat down next to her. I took the package of soft senbei and wrestled with the wrapping for a bit before getting it open. Taking one out of the package, I broke a piece off and force-fed it to Natsuki. She swallowed, and I repeated the process with a second piece. I continued to do this until the whole thing was gone, and her eyes slowly opened. She looked at me groggily, then wiped her eyes to focus herself. She shook her head and looked around, probably still confused about where she was. Then, her gaze focused on me and the package of soft senbei I was holding.

"What happened?" She asked tiredly, still rubbing her eyes.

"You fainted again." I explained. "Would you like some?" I held out the soft senbei to her. She reached inside and pulled one out, taking a bite out of it.

"Aren't you going to have some?" Natsuki asked. I looked at her in concern.

"Wouldn't it be best if you ate them? It's pretty obvious you don't get enough nutrition." I pointed out. Natsuki looked away in annoyance.

"Do you think I WANT to be malnourished?" She complained, but then turned back to me with a softer expression. "Sorry... I'm just... going through a lot right now. You saw a bit of that yesterday." She looked down dejectedly.

"No need to apologize, Nat." I said. "If you don't want to talk about it, then that's just fine." Suddenly, I remembered the coins that Natsuki had dropped when she fainted. "Oh, wait... here you go." I fished the coins out of my pocket and handed them out to her, and she stared at them in shock.

"Wait... you used your own money to pay for this?" She asked worriedly. I nodded, causing her to shove her half-eaten soft senbei back into the packaging I was holding.

"Hey, what am I supposed to do with this?" I joked, but Natsuki crossed her arms.

"It isn't fair that I have someone else pay for me." She said. "Don't waste your money..." Tears rolled down Natsuki's face, but I wiped them away before they could reach the bottom. Natsuki looked at me, surprised, so I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Wasting money? What are you talking about? For you no price is too high." I tried to cheer her up. "Besides, your options were pretty damn limited with the amount of money you had. It would be a sin for me to not cash in." Natsuki toothily grinned.

"Seriously? THAT'S the best you could come up with?" She laughed. "That's pathetic." I smiled.

"Well, it cheered you up, didn't it?" I asked. "Anyway, finish your soft senbei. I'm not eating something that you've already bit into." Natsuki laughed as she took her soft senbei out of the package and continued eating it. I gestured for her to take them all, but she declined.

"Eat some yourself!" She said. "I know you didn't eat much today!" I rolled my eyes, knowing that there was no way I was winning this argument, and grabbed a soft senbei out from the package. I took a small bite and tasted it.

It tasted plain, but had a flavouring of soy sauce on it among other, smaller flavours. I wasn't that big a fan of soy sauce, but it tasted really good. We ate in silence for a bit and didn't notice how long it'd been until there were no more left.

"So, did you want to continue reading?" Natsuki asked, pulling volume four of Parfait Girls out of her pocket. "I planned ahead." I nodded, and we quickly got into our 'manga reading' positions. Sitting on a bench while reading with Natsuki was a nice change of pace.

*Thirty minutes later*

We were about halfway through when the door to the literature club opened and Mc poked his head out.

"Hey, you two!" He called. "We're having a meeting about the festival, and we need you two in here!" He shrunk back inside and shut the door. I closed the manga and looked at Natsuki.

"You're not keeping the manga for the whole weekend." She told me. I put on a look of mock disappointment, causing us both to laugh as we stood up and walked towards the clubroom. I handed Natsuki the manga as we walked through the doors and got rid of the empty package in the garbage bin by the door.

"Guys! You missed poem sharing!" Sayori whined. She was sitting in her usual spot at the rectangle of desks, along with everyone else. Natsuki and I quickly followed her example and sat down in our usual spots as well.

"Sorry about that. We got kind of sidetracked." I apologized, but Monika put up a hand in a 'stop' gesture.

"No, it's my fault. I forgot you two were out there and didn't announce it to you." She explained. Natsuki looked on impatiently.

"Guys, it's not that big a deal." Natsuki said. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk about?" I was surprised to see Natsuki taking charge in this situation, but Monika wasn't phased. She cleared her throat and began to speak.

"As you already know, we're going to be doing poem sharing on Monday for the festival." Monika explained. "Now, we need something to draw people into the clubroom. Just announcing our event and doing it well won't attract people that much, so Sayori and I have come up with some ideas." She gestured to Sayori. "The two of us will be making pamphlets for advertising." She gestured to Natsuki. "Natsuki, could you bake cupcakes for the visitors?"

"Hell yeah!" Natsuki exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. Monika gestured to Yuri.

"Yuri, could you work on atmospheric enhancements for our clubroom like banners and decorations?" She asked.

"I guess..." Yuri agreed shyly, so Mc put a hand on her back to calm her down. It seemed to work, but then Mc looked confused.

"Wait... what are Alex and I doing?" He asked. Monika shifted in her chair, then gave him a knowing smile.

"You two could help Natsuki and Yuri with their respective tasks." She explained. "It's quite a lot of work for one person, and I assume that Natsuki and Yuri would appreciate your help quite a bit." She smiled slyly at me.

"I could always give Alex some of the dirty work." Natsuki said. I nodded in agreement, and Monika nodded back.

"Then I assume Mc would help Yuri?" She asked, gesturing to Yuri.

"Yes, of course." I was worried that her obsessive nature was starting to surface, but the thankful look she gave me convinced me otherwise.

It was a good thing that we had everything planned out that moment, because it was at that moment that the bell rang.

"Okay, everyone!" Monika announced. "You have your assignments. Work on them over the weekend together and set them up on Monday before the start of the festival. Club dismissed!" Everyone began to get out of their seats, and I turned to Natsuki as we did so.

"So am I coming over to your place, or are you coming over to Mc's?" I asked. Without hesitation, Natsuki turned to me and said:

"I'm coming over to Mc's. It'll be much easier that way, trust me." I didn't question her as I already knew why she chose this. "Let's exchange phone numbers and set up the date and time tonight." She fished her phone out of her pocket as I did the same and we swapped the two. I put my phone number into her contacts list as she put hers into mine. When I was done, I went to hand Natsuki's phone back to her, but she was staring at my screen in confusion.

"Uh... Nat? You there?" I asked. Natsuki came out of her stupor and looked at me suspiciously.

"Alex, why are Monika and Tiffany in your contacts list?" I almost panicked, but got a hold of myself fairly quickly. Then, I did my best to come up with a believable cover story.

"When Monika and I went out to talk on my first day here, she gave me her phone number to give me information about the club because there wasn't enough time to explain it all right then and there." I lied. "As for Tiffany, she's just a friendly person overall, so why wouldn't I have her phone number?" Natsuki looked at me, then my phone, then back at me, then back at my phone. She finally shrugged and handed my phone back to me, relieving the worry in an instant.

"Okay, my number's on your phone. You'd better not make this weird!" She told me as I handed her phone back. She looked to the side, embarrassed. I smiled at her.

"Don't worry, I won't. What kind of person would I be if I did that?" I reassured her. We picked up our bags and left the clubroom, catching up to Mc and Sayori without a prompt for once.

"Well, let's be off." Mc said. He led the way through the school, and we soon found ourselves outside before we knew it. We were already chatting and laughing as we walked through the gates and down the road.

*Thirty minutes later*

We soon came up to Mc's property and split up, saying our goodbyes to each other. Sayori and Natsuki continued down the road as Mc and I walked up to his front door.

"So, a weekend with our crushes, huh?" Mc joked as he unlocked the door. I let out a small laugh as he opened the door. He gestured inside, inviting me to go in first. I accepted the offer and walked inside.

"So, what's for dinner?" I asked as he walked inside. Mc thought for a moment, then came up with an idea that I hadn't expected.

"How about we order some pizza?" He offered. I nodded enthusiastically, and Mc brought his phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number and put it up to his ear as we walked into the living room.

"Yeah, I'd like one medium sized pizza." He turned to me. "What would you like?" Without hesitation, I just said plain. "Alright." He put his phone back to his ear and finished the order. We sat down on the couch just as he put the phone away.

*Five minutes later*

We chatted until the pizza arrived. When the doorbell rang, Mc stood up from the couch and walked over to the front door. I spied the TV remote on the coffee table and reached for it. Picking it up, I pressed the power button and the TV sparked to life. I switched over to Netflix and entered Mc's account. Looking through what he's watched, it was literally all anime. Soul Eater, Seven Deadly Sins, and even Sword Art Online were in there.

"Dude! What the hell!" Mc exclaimed from behind me. I turned around to see him holding a pizza box and staring at me in annoyance. Not seeing why he was angry, I instantly resolved the only reason I could see as to why he was angry.

"Hey, I'm not judging you for watching Sword Art Online, man." I explained. "If I'm being honest, I actually like it as well." Mc's anger immediately vanished and he smiled at me.

"Well, what did you want to watch?" He asked. I debated about what to watch for a bit, then settled on an old favourite.

"Have you ever watched Clone Wars?" I asked.

*Three hours later*

Yes, we watched Clone Wars for a full three hours. Do I regret it? No. It was at this moment that Mc decided to throw in the towel for the night and went to bed. I told him goodnight and continued watching for about one more episode. As the end credits rolled for the extra episode, I heard my phone ding. I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the screen. I got a text from Natsuki. I opened the texting app and read it.

_Natsuki: Hey, Alex._

_You: Sup, Nat?_

_Natsuki: When are we doing this?_

_You: How about Sunday?_

_Natsuki: Sure. Hey, here's a list of things we'll need. If you don't have them, buy them tomorrow:_

I stared at the list of ingredients and baking utensils that she sent me. It was so long, I had to scroll up and down to see the whole thing. With shaky hands, I replied.

_You: That's a lot of stuff._

_Natsuki: Oh, calm down. It's not that much. Mc probably already owns most of them, so it shouldn't be that bad._

_You: Alright, fine. I got to go. Good night._

_Natsuki: Good night._

I put my phone back in my pocket and turned off the TV. Mc had already gotten rid of the empty pizza box, so I just turned off all the lights and started towards my bedroom. Nothing would be happening on Saturday, so I could sleep in if I wanted. With this in mind, I turned off my alarm clock as I got to my bed.

"Not this time, bitch." I joked to myself. I was about to lay down, but another ding from my phone prevented me from doing so. With an annoyed sigh, I grabbed my phone and looked at the screen. It was a message from Monika.

_Monika: Nice job today, Alex. We saved Yuri, and all that's left is Natsuki. How do you want to approach this?_

_You: Tiffany is sick at home and spying on her house. She'll tell me if anything suspicious goes on there._

_Monika: Planning ahead, I see?_

_You: Yeah, you could say that. Anyway, I'm tired. Good night._

_Monika: Good night._

I collapsed on the bed as I put my glasses, watch, and phone on the bedside table. I didn't even bother with getting under the covers because of how exhausted I was. It was a good thing the next day was Saturday, because it would take me a while to get up. As I laid there on my bed, I tried to think about what I'd accomplished that day, but my mind was just so tired that I couldn't handle the stress. It wasn't long before I drifted off, and thus ended my first week in the world of Doki Doki Literature Club...

End of Chapter 6


	8. Chapter 7: Entrance Music

_(Author's note: Due to more recent plans for the fanfiction's story, I feel I should retcon something that was said back in Chapter 2. In it, I described the characters' heights without much detail, but I would now like to describe them better and change the heights to better match the canon heights of the characters along with giving Alex a definitive height. Here they are now:_

_Alex: 5'3" or 160cm_

_Mc: 5'3" or 160cm_

_Monika: 5'3" or 160cm_

_Sayori: 5'2" or 157cm_

_Natsuki: 4'11" or 150cm_

_Yuri: 5'5" or 165cm_

_Tiffany: 5'4" or 163cm_

_Shiro: 5'1" or 156cm_

_Okane: 5'3: or 160cm_

_Chad: 5'5" or 165cm_

_Hiran: 5'5" or 165cm_

_Sorry this isn't very consistent, but this will be the officially canon height of the characters for the rest of the fanfiction, so there won't be any more inconsistencies. I promise.)_

Chapter 7: Entrance Music

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbe-_

"IT'S SUNDAY, BITCHES!" Yeah, don't even ask.

It was Sunday in the world of DDLC, and the day that Natsuki and Yuri were coming over to prepare for the school festival on Monday. I was going to be helping Natsuki bake cupcakes in the kitchen, and Mc was going to be helping Yuri make decorations in his room. In the original game, it was also the last time Mc would see Sayori alive, but due to my actions the previous Thursday, Monika would be taking care of that.

Now you may be wondering why my schedule on Saturday isn't being told. Well, dear reader, that's because it was boring as hell. Mc and I went to the store to get things we'd need for when Yuri and Natsuki came over, then we just binge-watched a shit-ton of anime.

Anyway, after my overly enthusiastic announcement of the date, I threw myself out of bed and dashed over to my closet. I opened it up and tried to decide what to wear. I eventually settled on black track pants and a red hoodie. I don't care what any fashion designers have to say, I wear what I want to wear.

As I pulled my hoodie on, I caught a glimpse of something out my window. I walked over to it and gazed outside to find it was aimed directly at Sayori's house, and Sayori was waving at me from her bedroom window. She was waving at me to get my attention, then pulled her phone out of her pocket. Instantaneously, my phone began to ring on my bedside table. I picked it up and pressed the 'answer' button while I moved it to my ear.

"This is the absolute weirdest way to call someone, Sayori." I greeted. Sayori giggled.

"So? Normal is boring." She responded. "Yuri and Natsuki are going to be at your place today. Are you nervous?" Sayori giggled again, clearly trying to get a rise out of me. I wasn't having it.

"Why should I be nervous? Mc's the one who'll be working with a girl in his room." I smiled devilishly, waiting for Sayori to get the joke. She looked confused, but her expression gradually changed to shocked.

"Why would you say that, Alex?!" She asked desperately. "Don't say things like that!" I laughed at her reaction, which was made even funnier by her giving me a raspberry through the phone.

"Seriously, though." I stopped joking around. "I'm not worried about the visit at all." I was telling the truth. I wasn't worried about the visit itself, but about what could happen after. What happens after the visit was completely unknown territory for me. There were many mods that took place after Sunday, but there was no way to pinpoint exactly which storyline would be occurring, or if a known storyline would even be taking place.

That being said however, if a pre-known storyline would be taking place, I hoped to god it wouldn't be Exit Music. For those of you that don't know, Exit Music is a mod where Mc breaks into Natsuki's house to find her barely alive in her bedroom after she tried to kill herself via overdose. After saving her, they get together and Natsuki lives with Mc for a while. However, towards the end, Natsuki is forced to go back to her father's house. She hangs herself there, and Mc jumps off a bridge in grief. Roll credits. I felt a tear rolling down my cheek, which yanked me out of my thoughts with some help from Sayori's yelling.

"Alex! Earth to Alex!" I nearly dropped the phone in surprise.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. What were you saying?" I wiped the tear away as I asked. Sayori laughed.

"It's been a while since you've done that." She lamented worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I tried to sound upbeat. "Why do you ask?" Even from that distance, I could see Sayori's skepticism.

"Is your depression acting up?" Sayori asked. "I know how that feels, too. If you need any help, I'm here." Sayori was sounding oddly serious, which wasn't normal for her.

"No, it isn't acting up, Sayori. My depression isn't as bad as yours." I explained. "If I do need help, though, you'll be the first one I go to, okay?" This answer seemed to satisfy her.

"Okay!" She said with a smile. "Monika's coming over soon to help with the flyers, so I got to go! Bye!" She hung up before I could say 'bye' back. I looked back at her house to see her giving me one last raspberry, then she dashed out of view. I chuckled to myself as I turned to the door.

As I walked out into the hallway, I caught a whiff of something cooking. I recognized the smell and instantly ran downstairs as fast as humanly possible. As I reached the bottom of the stairs and looked into the kitchen, I saw Mc cooking breakfast. (Speed)Walking behind him, I peeked over his shoulder to see that he was cooking crepes and bacon.

"I can see you have good taste." I commented, causing Mc to turn around in surprise. He was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. It was amazing just how average he looked. Like, I wouldn't even be able to describe it because it was so average.

"Ah, another fan of crepes, I assume?" He joked in his best Sherlock Holmes impression.

"Yes, actually." I replied in my pathetic Watson impression. "If you say 'elementary, dear Watson', then I will take that spatula and shove it directly up your ass." We both cracked up in laughter.

"Wow, we are losers." Mc joked.

"Yup." I agreed.

*Five minutes later*

"So, are you going to confess to Yuri?" I asked, purely out of curiosity as we ate. Mc laughed, but I couldn't see what was so funny.

"Actually, we already confessed to each other on Friday." He said. "While you and Natsuki were outside, Yuri just randomly told me she liked me as we were reading. I said the same to her, and now we're together." He smiled.

"Just like that?" I asked.

"Just like that." He answered.

"Well, congratulations. You'll have your girlfriend in your room before you even have your first date." I gave him a joking smile, and he instantly turned red.

"Let's... not talk about this conversation ever again." Mc went back to eating to prevent further conversation. I chuckled in amusement, then turned my attention back to my breakfast, shoving crepe after crepe into my mouth. Sayori would be proud.

*Thirty minutes later*

"Dammit!" I exclaimed. Mc and I had been playing My Hero One's Justice for almost fifteen minutes, and I lost every round so far. No matter what character I chose, he always beat me with Shoto. I had just lost to him again, crossing off yet another character that could be viable against him.

"That's twelve to none." Mc taunted. "Cheer up. Even if you lost with Izuku, Ochako, Tenya, Stain, All Might, All For One, Kyoka, Himiko, Tomura, Denki, Aizawa, and Endeavor, I'm sure you'll get it next time!" He gave me a taunting smile, so I promptly flipped him off. Luckily, I was saved from another defeat by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

"Well, I guess they're here." Mc said as he got up and turned off his Xbox. I got up and followed him to the front door, where we could already hear idle chit-chat coming from outside. Mc grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, revealing Yuri and Natsuki having an idle conversation while they waited.

Natsuki, just like in the original game, was wearing a white t-shirt with a pink cat face design on the left of the chest, along with a pink, frilly skirt. You never really saw much of her below the waist in the original game (not in that way!), but here, she was simply wearing a pair of pink running shoes with white socks. Yuri, of course, was wearing a tan turtleneck sweater with black yoga pants. She was wearing the same shoes as Natsuki, only purple. They were each carrying a large plastic bag.

As soon as the door opened, Natsuki put on her 'annoyed' face.

"Took you long enough. This thing's heavy!" She complained. Yuri looked a little embarrassed.

"C-could we come in?" She asked, doing her best to ignore Natsuki's complaints.

"Of course, come on in." Mc ushered them inside, then closed the door behind them. "Just uh... take off your shoes, okay? My parents may be paying for this house, but I'm the one maintaining it." Yuri and Natsuki nodded in acknowledgement and put their shoes next to the door, Yuri's shyness and Natsuki's frustration seemingly already gone.

"So, let's get started." Mc told Yuri. "Follow me, these two have a lot of work to do." He led Yuri upstairs to his room, leaving me alone with Natsuki. I turned to Natsuki, who smiled surprisingly sweetly. Already doing better than the original game.

"Come on, I'll show you the kitchen." I turned around to lead Natsuki but stopped when I heard an "ahem" from Natsuki. I turned around to see her staring at me expectantly, like a cat waiting for its owner to feed it.

"Would you really force me to carry this big, heavy bag all by myself?" Natsuki pouted, obviously messing with me. I sighed in amusement and took the bag, noticing something strange about it as I looked inside.

"Natsuki, why did you tell me to get some things for baking when you already had everything in this bag?" I asked. It was true, everything that she told me to get the previous day was already in the bag, completely nullifying everything that I'd done the prior day as useless.

"It's just in case you forgot anything." She explained.

"You sent me the list a total of three times yesterday, two of them being sent after I'd already gotten everything and counted them twice." I complained. "Also, why did you even make me get all of these things if you already had them? We could've just used what you had without any problems." Natsuki began to respond but fell silent as she realized I was right.

"Oh... Well, shit." She said. "Anyway, we're still using what you got. We wouldn't want it to go to waste, would we?" She smiled again, but more sincere this time. I decided I could forgive her, and we quickly got to making the cupcakes.

*Thirty minutes later*

"Alright, that's the first batch done." Natsuki said as she put the tray on top of the oven. "Do you think you get the idea now?" I nodded confidently.

Before we made any cupcake batches separately, Natsuki and I made a batch together to get through the basics. And by 'together', I mean I did all the work while Natsuki babied all my movements. I normally would've been offended, but it was my first time baking, and I wanted to make sure I didn't screw it up. Whenever I'd reach for the wrong tool or ingredient, Natsuki would grab my wrist with surprising speed and face it towards the right thing. It was quite funny to have her do this, considering she could barely see over the countertop.

"How many are we making, exactly?" I inquired. "We don't have any way to know exactly how many people will be attending our event, so how do we know how many cupcakes we need to make?" Natsuki didn't take any time to think before answering.

"We're making eleven batches, counting the one we just made." She answered. I choked on my own words.

"Eleven?!" I exclaimed. "Why are we making so many?!" Natsuki smiled at me, clearly enjoying my confusion. It wasn't like our club was all that big or popular, so I couldn't see why we needed to bake so many cupcakes.

"You'll see..." Natsuki hinted slyly. "It's a surprise." She waved her hands in front of her face jokingly, causing us both to laugh.

I'd seen hints of it before, but this was the first time I actually took note of how different Natsuki's personality was when she wasn't in public. She was less worried about being embarrassed, and she wasn't as snippy with her speech. She was almost a different person. A different person that only spoke to the ones she trusted most.

"Alex, did you want to do something after this?" Natsuki asked completely out of the blue.

"Um... like what?" I responded.

"Mc mentioned to me that he had the Sword Art Online manga series laying around somewhere." Natsuki explained. "Do you maybe want to check it out when we're done?" I looked at my watch, which read 8:30. With this in mind, I turned to Natsuki.

"Sure. We should have time if we stay focused." I answered, much to Natsuki's joy. "Why Sword Art Online specifically, though? I thought you'd want to read some sort of romance, knowing you." Natsuki looked offended and crossed her arms.

"Just because I _like_ to read romance doesn't mean it's the _only_ thing I read, Alex." She said my name with an accusatory tone, but then looked off to the side in embarrassment. "Plus, I actually enjoyed the anime..."

"Same." I said a very matter-of-factly. Natsuki tried to keep her expression neutral, but her eyes gave away the fact that she was mildly shocked.

Instead of saying anything more, Natsuki merely turned back towards the counter and grabbed an empty cupcake tray. I quietly chuckled at her speechlessness and got to work alongside her.

*Two and a half hours later*

"Okay, that's six so far. Three from me, three from you." I stated as I placed my tray next to the others. Natsuki laughed smugly.

"Actually, it's two from you and four from me. That first one was just you following my instructions." She taunted.

"It was still me who actually made them." I responded. Natsuki leaned on the stove.

"Oh, really? And would you have been able to make them without my he-OW!" Natsuki recoiled her arm from the stove and clutched her elbow in pain, kneeling on the ground. "Ah, fuck." She slowly took her hand off her elbow and examined it. It was pretty red, but not to the point that it would constitute as a serious burn.

I looked at the stovetop and, to my surprise, one of the burners was on despite us never having used it. I quickly turned it off and rushed to Natsuki's side.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned. "That looks pretty bad." I gestured to the burn, but Natsuki shook her head.

"Don't worry about me. Let's get back to the baking." She tried to get up, but I held her down.

"Nat, I'm not an idiot. Whether you like it or not, we're treating that burn." I told her. Natsuki didn't argue, but it was clear she was frustrated. It was also clear it hurt a lot, shown by the painful grimace on Natsuki's face.

I picked up Natsuki by the waist (much to her annoyance) and sat her down in one of the kitchen chairs.

"I'm going to go ask Mc if he has anything to treat burns. Stay here, alright?" I requested. Natsuki nodded defeatedly. I turned around and headed out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and down the hallway towards Mc's room. I was about to knock on the door when I heard strange noises coming from inside.

My curiosity getting the better of me, I leaned in and put my ear up to the door. Shockingly, it seemed like Mc was taking my joke of 'having his girlfriend in his room before their first date' literally, because I could hear moaning emanating from inside.

'_I'm definitely bringing this up to Mc after they leave'_ I thought jokingly, then focused back on the task at hand. '_I'll check the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.'_ With a new plan in mind, I went a bit further down the hall towards the bathroom. I walked inside and made a beeline towards the mirror hanging over the sink.

I grabbed the handle and opened it up, revealing a slew of pain medication, sleeping pills, and even some essential oils. Ignoring that last thing and hoping Mc wasn't an anti-vax idiot, I began searching through the cabinet for something for treating burns.

It wasn't long before I came across a small tub of cream. The label was still on it, but over the name of the product was a piece of scotch tape that had the words '_TREATS BURNS' _written on it. I pulled it out of the cabinet and turned it in my hands. On the back, it had another piece of scotch tape which read '_USE IN CASE OF CHEF SAYORI'. _I chuckled to myself.

Closing the cabinet, I turned around and left the bathroom. I walked down the corridor back to the stairs, careful to not let Mc and Yuri hear me as I passed them. Finally, I reached the stairs and climbed down, turning towards the kitchen as I reached the bottom.

Natsuki was still in the chair that I left her in, but she was now bending her arm at an awkward angle, trying to see the burn on the bottom of her elbow. She touched it but recoiled in pain as she did so, the light contact with the wound obviously hurting.

"You know, touching the burn won't make it feel better." I joked as I walked up to her. Natsuki snapped her gaze to me as she finally noticed my presence, of which she somehow didn't notice earlier.

"Oh, hey." She sounded a bit embarrassed. "Did you get anything for treating burns from Mc?" I held up the small tub of cream but shook my head.

"I had to find it myself. Mc and Yuri are a bit busy at the moment." I explained, only half-lying. Natsuki, however, didn't look convinced.

"What do you mean 'a bit busy'? Couldn't they have taken a few moments out of their decorating to help?" She asked, annoyed. I could tell there wasn't any easy way out of this situation, so I just decided to let out all the information at once.

"Mc and Yuri confessed to each other on Friday while we were out in the hall and now they're together and are... doing stuff." I left the last detail hanging in the air, but Natsuki already knew what I meant, judging by her reaction.

"They're having sex?!" She exclaimed, accidentally banging her burned elbow on the table. She clutched her elbow again, barely not screaming out in pain. I rushed over to her and knelt, bringing my face level with hers.

Her eyes were shut tight, with tears of pain leaking out almost constantly. At first, I couldn't see why it hurt so much to the point of not being able to move, but then I thought of how small she was. That must've had something to do with her low pain tolerance. There wasn't really anything I could do about her current pain spasm, so I waited until it went away.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked when she finally opened her eyes. There were still a few tears, but for the most part, the pain seemed to be fading.

"Yeah... I... I'm fine." She said, obviously not fine. "Just... put the cream on." She said this but didn't take her hand off her elbow. I waited, for her to move it, but she just... didn't.

"Uh, Natsuki?" I prompted. "I kind of need to see the burn in order to put the cream on." Natsuki took a moment to process what I said, then seemed to have a moment of revelation.

"Oh, right. H-here." She slowly let go of her elbow, revealing the burn. It was slightly less red than before, but the bang against the table must've been causing Natsuki a lot of pain.

I picked up the tub of cream with my right hand and took the lid off. I lightly grabbed Natsuki's arm with my left, careful to not touch the burn. Her skin was warmer than usual, but I couldn't tell whether it was due to the burn or if she was embarrassed. I scooped some cream onto my right index and middle fingers and slowly brought them to Natsuki's burn.

Natsuki flinched as I slowly and methodically rubbed the cream on her burned skin, taking care not to hurt her further. After rubbing all the cream off, I examined the burn one more time. It was pretty much completely covered by the cream, but something still bothered me about her arm. Taking a look a little further down, I could see a few bruised around where I was holding her arm.

I was worried that I'd caused them, but a closer inspection of the bruises proved that theory wrong. They were extending past any point that I touched her arm at, meaning I couldn't be the main cause. Curious, I rubbed my finger along a clear area of skin, just above the highest bruise. To my surprise, as I moved my finger across Natsuki's skin, a bruise revealed itself. I looked at my finger that I used to rub her arm, and there was makeup on it. She was using makeup to cover up her bruises.

"Nat, what's with the bruises?" I asked, despite already knowing the answer. Natsuki gasped in shock, then pushed me away. I looked at her in surprise and was met with a gaze of fear. She sat there, stunned for a while, like she was caught stealing cookies. Finally, she spoke.

"I... I... I'll tell you l-later..." She said weakly. I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped myself as I saw tears coming out of Natsuki's eyes. Unlike before, she wasn't just crying because of the pain. This time, she was terrified of what I was asking. Terrified of what she had to say.

"Okay, I won't rush you." I said. "But I'd like to hear the reason when we're done the cupcakes. You can't keep your troubles to yourself forever, or they'll inevitably consume you." Even I was shocked by my own words. Natsuki didn't respond and merely got up and walked towards the counter. I hauled myself to my feet and grabbed the tub of cream, putting the lid back on it as I did. I took one last look at Natsuki before I went to put the cream back, and all I could see in her eyes was defeat and depression.

*Two and a half hours later*

The rest of the cupcakes were made in silence. There was an aura of stressful worry in the air, and it wasn't difficult to see who the source was. While we were baking the cupcakes, I stole glances at Natsuki many times. Every time I did, she had the same, blank expression on her face. I also studied the bruises on her arm at every opportunity I had, and I began to notice something about them.

It was hard to tell exactly how many bruises she had, because they all blended together. It was almost like her entire arm was just one big bruise, and I didn't doubt that possibility. How bad Natsuki's parental abuse was differed from story to story. It really wasn't that much of a stretch to assume that this version of her father was one of if not the worst, considering what I'd heard so far from Monika.

"Alex?" Natsuki's words snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked at her as she took the last tray out of the oven and put it on the countertop. We'd agreed that the last two batches would be without icing, just in case there were people who preferred that.

"What is it, Nat?" I asked cautiously. This was the moment of truth.

"You wanted to know about my bruises and..." She started. "I think it's about time I finally tell someone." She was looking down in shame, so I walked up to her and lifted her chin up with my hand.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Nat. I promise." At the word _promise_, Natsuki froze for a second, but quickly regained composure.

"You... might want to sit down. Let's go to the living room." She said. I nodded. At first, I was confused as to why she would make this decision, but then it hit me.

In order to talk about something like this, you'd need to be sure you're in a stable environment. You'd need to make sure you're safe, and you need to trust the person in front of you. It almost seemed like she was trying to recreate the feeling of being in a psychiatrist office. I'd never really gone to a psychiatrist, but now I was required to be one?

I shook my head, banishing any doubts I'd had in my mind. Then, with a newfound resolve, I followed Natsuki into the living room. Natsuki walked over to the nearest couch and sat down with her head still hanging low. At this point, I couldn't even tell whether she was sad, or scared, or both. All the worry that I was feeling turned into determination. With this determination, I strode over to the couch and sat down next to Natsuki.

"So... what is it you want to tell me?" I asked. "And you don't need to rush. Take your time if you need to." Natsuki turned to me with a grateful expression on her face. There were still a few tears on her cheeks, but she either didn't notice, or didn't care.

"Thanks, Alex. I honestly don't know how I could've gotten this far without you." Her voice was soft. "Okay, here we go." I laid back as she began her story, listening intently.

"_My father, Hiran Kurushimi, was a wealthy businessman from Tokyo. My mother, Kojin Josei, was a wealthy bank owner, also from Tokyo. My father was always distant from me, which made sense. They never expected to have a child. I was an accident, as you might say. He hated me, but he never let it show too much. He commonly had business partners over, during which I was always forced to stay in my room because I would 'disrupt their important business'."_

"_My mother was the opposite. She loved me, cared for me, even played with me when my father had his business partners over. She was my world, and I looked up to her so much. I didn't know it yet, but my father had apparently wanted her to get an abortion. My mother refused, saying she wasn't just going to kill someone before they even had a chance to live. My father told me that, and that was what he hated about me. He believed that he deserved full power over my life, and that my mother was standing in the way of that power."_

"_He finally got that power when my mother was murdered in an alleyway. The police say she was shot to death by the attacker, but they were never found. While he was happy to finally have control over my every move, he was devastated by the death of his wife. He moved us here for what he claimed were 'business reasons', but it was clear he wanted somewhere to be alone. Alone where he could drink to his heart's content, and abuse his daughter to his heart's content..."_

Natsuki paused, and I looked over at her to see her expression. She was crying. Tears were constantly streaming out of her eyes, traveling down her cheeks, and dropping off her chin into her lap. Such a sight hurt me so much, so I did the only thing I could think of: I put my left arm around her shoulders. She jolted at my touch.

"W-what are you d-doing?" She asked between sobs. I expected the words to be angry, but they weren't. Again, I was seeing the sensitive side of Natsuki.

"You're being hurt by remembering these memories, and I'm here to remind you that you don't need to rush yourself." I told her softly as I continued to comfort her. "I'm not going anywhere, Nat. Take as much time as you need. I know how much it pains you to remember this."

Natsuki seemed stuck for words, like she'd never been treated that way. Then I realized: That was exactly the case. She'd NEVER been treated that way! Almost her entire life had been composed entirely of abuse from her middle-aged father. It made me sad. Seeing someone who'd been so horribly abused that she didn't even know how to react to comfort was... horrible.

"Alex, are you okay?" I suddenly heard Natsuki ask. "Y-you're crying." It took me a moment to notice that she was right. I WAS crying. I quickly wiped away the tears with my right arm while keeping my left arm around Natsuki.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Nat. Just... your story." I lied. Natsuki was probably too sad to doubt me, so she accepted my answer. Then, for some reason, she leaned into me and pulled my arm further around her, ultimately locking herself right next to me. I could feel my face getting hot, and Natsuki's face was red.

"If that's the case, then could I take a break?" Anyone else would've found this request ridiculous, but not me. Going through memories like this, remembering these horrific events, it takes a lot out of you.

"Sure. Take as many breaks as you want." I said. "When you want to continue, just tell me." Natsuki smiled weakly but didn't say anything. She snuggled up closer to me, as if using me for warmth. She still had a frown on her face, but I could tell she felt better. Even from just telling me what she did, it seemed to help a lot. Going through depression myself helped me to see things about other people that others couldn't.

Natsuki suddenly rested her head on my shoulder, causing me to flinch slightly. She didn't relent, however, and just kept her head there. I smiled to myself, despite the living situation she was going through.

'_I'll stay by your side, Natsuki.' _I thought. '_I won't leave you. Not until you're free of him...'_

*Ten minutes later*

"O-okay." Natsuki said suddenly. "I-I think I'm ready to continue." She took her head off my shoulder but didn't pull away. I wasn't complaining, as Natsuki was more important than anything at that moment. Once again, I laid back and listened as Natsuki continued her story.

"_When my mother died, I was only eight years old. However, eight years old didn't mean anything to my father. He forced us to move and only let me take what could fit in a single suitcase. I lost most of my toys, books, clothes, and all of my friends when we moved. As soon as we finished moving, my father began to drink heavily. He had inherited a bunch of money from my mother's death, which is the only reason why he hasn't gone bankrupt from all the drinking, yet."_

"_At first, I thought things wouldn't be so bad. However, that optimism quickly left me the first time my father hit me. I had accidentally dropped a frying pan off the countertop and onto the floor. I thought it would be fine, and that he would understand but... when I went to go tell him, he went insane. He swore at me, punched me, kicked me, and even threw me across the room at one point. The pain stayed for weeks, and it was only made worse by the fact that he barely ever made any food for me."_

"_Whenever he DID cook, it was usually something that didn't take much time or effort to make, like a frozen pizza or macaroni. And most of the time he didn't even cook. Instead, I was given leftovers from whenever he'd eat out. The only person who ever took pity on me was one of my teachers at school. She noticed how thin I was and got me to tell her about my home situation. She wanted to call the police, but I told her not to. For some reason I still believed in my father. I still don't know why, but she agreed with me. Instead, she allowed me to eat some of her lunch each day. This only lasted until the end of that school year, and then I was back to starving."_

"_The abuse got worse when I turned thirteen. Before, my father looked at me as some sort of annoying animal. A rodent, if you will. After my thirteenth birthday, however, my father looked at me as an object. I think I was beginning to remind him of my mother, so he did what any sane person would do: he began to sexually assault me."_

Natsuki spat out those last two sentences with pure hatred. I looked at her, and any trace of sadness was gone from her face. Her eyes burned with rage, and she didn't stop there.

"_He groped me whenever I was around him. I would tell him to stop, but he never listened. He continued to do it, and if I didn't comply, he would beat me. He'd strip me, grope me, then throw me to the side when he was done. His own fucking daughter. He would just use me like a sex doll, then toss me aside like a piece of garbage."_

Natsuki suddenly stopped talking, and all anger in her face was gone. A tear came out of her eye, then another one, then another one. Eventually, a torrent of tears came forward, accompanied by a slew of sobs.

"I-I was nothing t-to him!" She wailed. "I don't want to live with him anymore! I don't want to see him anymore! I just... I just..." She struggled to get the words out.

"I just..."

"Want..."

"To be..."

"Safe..."

Natsuki buried her face in her hands, sobbing violently. It nearly broke me to see her like this. It was one thing to be told '_she cried violently' _in text, but it was another thing entirely to be right there next to her. This girl that I'd technically only known for a week was pouring her heart out to me, and she was crying because it. I wasn't just going to sit there while she suffered.

I brought my right arm around and pulled her into a hug. She gasped in surprise as she suddenly found herself in my arms.

"A-Alex... I-I d-don't..." I shushed her.

"Nat, you aren't alone in this. I want you to remember that." I reassured her. "I promise you that no matter how tough it gets. No matter how difficult it is, I will stay by your side and help you out of this. Do you understand?" Natsuki was stunned silent, shocked by my forwardness.

"T-thank y-you." She said at last as she buried her face in my shoulder and continued sobbing. I patted her back to calm her down.

"We can take another break, if you want." I whispered. "I know this much be hard for you." Natsuki nodded in agreement, crying into my shoulder.

*Twenty minutes later*

"O-okay." Natsuki said as she slowly brought her face out of my shoulder. "I-I t-think I'm r-ready to c-continue." I nodded, then brought my right arm back to my side, keeping my left arm firmly around Natsuki's shoulders and listening and she continued her story for the final time.

"_I was never able to make any friends on my own in high school. My interest in manga combined with my young appearance made people tease me. I was always lonely, and always thought people were insulting me because of it. My father kept telling me to just 'get some friends', but whenever I tried to explain the situation to him, he would beat me. My school life suffered just as much as my home life because of him. I had barely any money to get food, I couldn't talk to people, and I always had bruises that I needed to hide because my father didn't want anyone to see them."_

"_I used makeup to hide my bruises from everyone as you saw earlier. It's the only thing my father pays for that's related to me. The only thing he buys for me... are the things that hide the fact that he abuses me. He treats me like a slave. Using me whenever he feels like it, hitting me whenever I do something to defy him, and forcing me to cover up everything he does to me. He controls everything about me. Whenever I come home from school, he literally pats me down for anything more than what I brought to school. My life was hell. Then... you came along."_

I snapped my gaze to Natsuki, who was looking away with a blush on her face.

"W-what?" I was confused. "Then... I came along?" Natsuki did a weak attempt at a laugh.

"Just a week ago, I almost lost hope that my life could get any better. Last Tuesday was when that began to turn around. The day that I met you." Natsuki explained. "Okane and Chad were annoying me constantly before second period. Then, as I walked through the doors of the science classroom, I saw you."

"I wasn't sure about you at first, but your first impression was so much... nicer than I expected. After that, you kept being nice to me, despite all the times I was rude to you. Every day, you spent time with me, you defended me and the others, and you even indulged in my hobbies with me, despite not being a fan of it beforehand. So... what I'm trying to say is... thank you, Alex. For all that you've done for me."

Natsuki smiled at me, the blush still on her face. Instinctually, I smiled back. Then, Natsuki's expression changed slightly. She looked... different to me. Before I could know what was happening, Natsuki's face began to move slowly towards me. My face was involuntarily doing the same. Our faces got closer... closer... until...

Our lips touched. Natsuki and I were kissing. She tasted sweet, like candy. It sounds cliché, but that's what it was like. Our eyes were both closed, so we couldn't see the other person, but we didn't need to. From what I could tell, all that mattered at that moment was us together. Natsuki and I... together.

After almost forty seconds, Natsuki began to slowly pull away. I opened my eyes to see Natsuki's staring right back at me. Her adorable pink eyes that I'd come to love...

'_Love...' _I thought. '_Is this love? Am I in love with Natsuki?'_ The answer was yes. I loved Natsuki, and I saw that Natsuki was having a similar dilemma in her own mind. We were both stunned silent by the moment, and it felt like an eternity had passed before either of us said anything.

"So... um... that was... something..." Natsuki said.

"Yeah... it sure was..." I responded. Natsuki smiled sweetly.

"Let's not mention this to the others yet, okay?" Natsuki requested. I smiled back at her.

"Sure. Let's keep it between us for now." I abided.

Natsuki maneuvered back to sitting next to me, putting her arm around my shoulders to mirror me. We looked at each other, grinning like idiots for almost five minutes. Finally, Natsuki suggested something.

"Hey, do you think that Mc and Yuri are 'done' yet?" She asked.

"Probably." I answered.

"Could you maybe go ask Mc if we could borrow his Sword Art Online manga?" Natsuki gave me the puppy-dog eyes to assure my agreement, but she didn't even need to do it. I would've agreed either way.

"Alright, I'll be right back." I said as I got up from the couch.

I made my way up the stairs, down the hallway, and stopped in front of Mc's bedroom door once again. I couldn't hear any more moaning from the other side, so I assumed they were done. Cautiously, I brought my hand up and rapped on the door with my knuckles. There was a sort of surprised gasp from the other side, and I eventually heard footsteps coming closer. The door opened slightly, and Mc peeked out.

"Oh, hey Alex. What did you need?" He asked without opening the door any further. It was suspicious, and even kind of funny. I would've savoured this moment, but I had a time limit before Natsuki had to leave.

"Nat wanted to know if you would let us read your Sword Art Online manga for a bit." I answered simply.

"Ah, okay... just let me... go grab it..." Mc stepped away from the door, leaving it still slightly peeking open. My curiosity getting the best of me, I lightly tapped the door. Not enough to make it open quickly, but just enough to make it slide a bit further inward.

As it was opening, I peeked through the gap in between the door and the wall. I was eventually given a small glimpse of his bed, which Yuri was laying on. However, she was wearing only her underwear. Not wanting to seem like a pervert, I quickly retracted my head from the gap and stood outside normally.

After five minutes, Mc came back with three volumes of manga in his hand.

"Sorry that took so long. I'm not that organized." Mc apologized as he handed me the manga through the gap. "Now if you'll excuse me, Yuri and I need to get back to work." He closed the door faster than was necessary for obvious reasons. Satisfied, I left the scene and made my way back towards the living room

"What took you so long?" Natsuki asked me as I entered the living room. She had no trace of annoyance in her voice. She sounded legitimately curious, which made sense considering our previous interaction.

"Mc isn't that organized." I answered simply as I sat down next to Natsuki. Just as before, she instantly clung to my side and put her arm around me. I mirrored her action, putting my arms around her.

Natsuki rested her head into me, and I did the same to her. We opened up volume one and began to read.

*Two hours later*

"So, what do you think?" I asked as I closed the third volume of Sword Art Online. Natsuki shrugged.

"I'd say I enjoyed it." She answered. I looked at my watch, which read the time 6:00.

"Nat, what time do you need to be home by?" I asked, slightly panicking. Natsuki looked confused.

"6:30. Why?" I slowly brought my watch over to her to show her the time, and she instantly panicked.

"Oh crap, I need to go!" She exclaimed. She bolted up from the couch and rushed out of the living room. Me, knowing it was polite to see your guest to the door, followed her.

"So, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow?" I assumed as Natsuki got ready to leave. I couldn't help but feel sad. After telling me about all the shit that she goes through at home, she was just leaving for home. It hurt me to see her rushing to go somewhere she clearly hated. Natsuki seemed to notice my worry, as she instantly stopped what she was doing and looked at me. She stood up straight in front of me, looking at me with a smile on her face.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I promise you." She made a small hop and kissed me on the cheek, making us both blush. "Besides, now I have something to look forward to." She gave me a toothy grin.

"Yeah, I guess there's that..." I scratched the back of my neck in embarrassment. "Well... I'll see you tomorrow, Nat. Bye." I waved as she opened the front door to the beautiful sun-setting sky.

"Bye, Alex." She turned to leave but made one last statement before leaving. "And thanks for the help. It means a lot to me." She turned back and left, closing the door behind her. That smile was the last I saw of her when she closed that door. Her beautiful smile...

'_I'm not losing you this time, Natsuki.' _I thought. '_Not this time...'_

*Two hours later*

"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU HIT ME?! I WAS BLOCKING!" I screamed in complaint as Mc beat me once again in My Hero One's Justice.

I had told Monika and Tiffany about what was going on with Natsuki immediately after she'd left. It hurt me to do it to her, but I had no choice. We had to be ready for anything, and any information was important to saving Natsuki.

An hour after that, Yuri left. Her and Mc had taken a bit longer than usual to make the decorations (gee, I wonder why), so she left later than she normally would've.

Anyway, there we were. Mc and I, playing My Hero One's Justice, with me getting curb stomped by Todoroki yet again. I'd played literally every single character in the roster, and I was still unable to beat Mc.

"Screw it, I'm going to bed." I surrendered as I stood up. Mc looked disappointed.

"Why? You can't get better if you don't practice." He said.

"I'm just... tired." I admitted. Mc nodded.

"Okay, see you tomorrow. I'm going to stay up for a bit longer." He went back to his Xbox as I left, making my way back to my room.

As I walked towards my room, I had this uneasy feeling in my gut. It was like something bad was about to happen. Natsuki and were as close as ever that day, so, why did I feel so worried? I chocked it up to me just being tired.

Opening the door to my room, I caught a gaze with the bed in the corner. Driven by my only current instinct, I rushed over to my bed as fast as I could and laid down in it, closing my eyes and letting sleep consume me

...

*_GASP_*

I bolted upright in bed as I suddenly awoke in a cold sweat. I remembered having a dream, but I couldn't remember what that dream was. I remembered the whole day with Natsuki. We baked cupcakes, she told me about her parental abuse problems, we... kissed... but I couldn't tell why I felt so panicked. Suddenly, I had another excruciating headache tear through my skull, and the images that I saw scared me beyond belief...

_Natsuki in her room. She's laying on her bed. There are no covers, pillows, or anything on the bed. It's just a mattress. Her clothes are torn. She's shivering. The glass in the window is shattered, but there are iron bars in front of it. Her room is completely empty of any belongings except for torn-up manga pages and a strange white container next to her bed. The container is a pill bottle. It's empty. It was prescribed two days ago..._

I came out of the vision as suddenly as I had gone in it, my fear growing immensely by the second. I knew exactly what that vision meant. My worst fear had come to life. The one thing, the one mod that I didn't want to occur, and it did.

_Exit Music_

I heard my phone buzzing, giving me a shock. I pulled it out of my pocket as fast as I could and looked at the screen. Tiffany was calling Monika and I. I answered the call and put the phone up to my ear like my life depended on it.

"Hey, Ale-" Tiffany started, but I interrupted her.

"Natsuki's in danger." I stated frantically.

"Alex, what are you talking abou-" But she was interrupted again, but this time by Monika.

"Natsuki's in danger." She stated, just as frantically as me.

"Guys, how do you know this? I just called you two to tell you that one of the windows is shattered." Tiffany explained quickly. I froze. I couldn't find the words to talk, but luckily, Monika could talk for me.

"Tiffany, which window is shattered?" She asked, sounding exceedingly worried.

"The one with the bars over it. Why?" You could practically feel the tension and fear through the phone line. All of us were speechless, but I eventually acted first.

"Tiffany, text us the address of her house. This isn't just some random event going on in there. Natsuki's life is in peril!" I exclaimed.

"Alex, what are you talking about?" Tiffany inquired.

"Monika, you rush over to her house. I'll do the same. Tiffany, don't do anything until we get there." I ordered. I hung up before anything else could be said, then jumped out of bed as fast as I could. I rushed of my bedroom, down the hallway, down the stairs, and towards the front door. I could hear Mc's voice from the living room as I did this.

"Alex, what's gotten into you?!" He sounded alarmed, and he should have. I couldn't waste time explaining everything. I needed to give him the gist of what needed to be done, and that meant taking every possible precaution. I couldn't imagine Hiran would be all that tough in a fight, but you could never be too careful.

"Mc, listen to me." I said as I got my shoes on. "When I go out, lock the door, and don't unlock it until we get back, and ONLY when we get back. If it's anyone else, don't let them it. Do you understand?" Mc sputtered for a few seconds.

"B-but what are you doing?!" But I was already out the door.

*Five minutes later*

I dashed down the street at full speed, making my way towards Natsuki's house. I glanced at my phone as I ran to make sure I was going the right way. Over the course of my sprinting, the fear that I had gradually turned into anger. Anger towards Hiran, specifically. He had put his own daughter through so much shit over her life, and I was going to put a stop to it. I was going to put a stop to HIM.

"Just hang on, Nat. I'm coming..." I said to myself as I ran.

Finally, I arrived in front of the address Tiffany sent me. The house I was looking at was quite large, but not quite a mansion. It was definitely for people with higher income, though.

The property itself was guarded by a large metal gate. I didn't see any locks on the gate, so I assumed it was electric. I didn't have any time to deal with it, so I did what any sane person would in this scenario: I broke it down.

Yes, it was stupid, but sometimes stupid ideas work out. I took a few steps back, readied myself in a 'shoulder tackle' position, and ran forward towards the gate. I had a few seconds where I doubted my ability to get through, but all those doubts vanished when I collided with the gate.

The ability to enhance my strength was really coming in handy, because I felt nothing when I hit the gate. The part of the gate that I shoved through crumpled in on itself, creating a hole to run through. I didn't have time to debate what I'd just done, and I just kept on going to the front porch.

I ran onto the front porch and stopped at the front door. The door was made of pure metal, which seemed weird for a place like this. Suddenly, a voice called out from apparently nowhere.

"What do you want?!" The voice was that of a middle-aged man. I had no doubt in my mind that I was listening to the voice of Natsuki's father.

I looked around to find the source of the voice, and my gaze rested upon a security camera on the wall in the corner of the porch. I looked up at it with pure anger. He knew that I was here, but he didn't know who I was. That sucked for him, because I knew exactly who he was.

"Hiran Kurushimi!" I yelled at the security camera. There was a short pause, then the voice responded.

"Yes, that's me. What about it?!" The voice was constantly sounding old and bitter. He had no right to be angry. He had no right to be annoyed.

"Where the fuck is Natsuki?!" I yelled again. There was another pause, and Hiran responded again.

"I have no idea who you are talking about, boy!" He snapped. "Now get the hell out of here before I call the police!"

'_You can't threaten me, you abusive son of a bitch.'_ I thought.

"Oh, YOU'RE going to call the police on ME?! What will you tell them when I tell them you've been abusing your daughter since she was eight?!" I was starting to get seriously pissed off.

"Oh, I think I know who you are, now..." Hiran lamented. "You're that Alex boy that Natsuki told me about, aren't you?" I was stunned. How did he know about me?

"How do you know who I am?" I asked.

"I always get Natsuki to tell me about all her friends whenever she comes home. It lets me know what she's up to!" He admitted. "That's really sneaky, how she lied to me about going over to Yasori's house for the day."

"Her name is Sayori!" I yelled.

"Yes, yes. Sayori, whatever." Hiran grumbled. "Anyway, I must say, I'm very disappointed with the decisions Natsuki has been making recently."

"What decisions? You never give her any freedom. She told me herself!" I complained.

"I'm going to ignore that little stab at me you just took and answer your question." Hiran said. "When I found out she was becoming friends with two lesbians, an eskimo, and a n****r, I was very disappointed. She should've known better."

'_Two lesbians? Who could that be?' _I thought.

"Now, I'd suggest you GET OFF MY GODDAMN PROPERTY BEFORE I CALL THE POLICE, YOU GODDAMN FILTHY CANADIAN!" He screamed. This put me over the edge. I wasn't going to take shit from this guy.

"This is you final fucking warning, Hiran!" I yelled. "If you let Natsuki go, then we will leave peacefully. But it you don't I'm coming in there, and only one of us is making it out alive! Do you understand, you drunk asshole?!" Hiran grumbled in rage.

"YOU CAN'T EVEN GET THROUGH THE DAMN DOOR! DON'T MAKE THREATS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE LEVERAGE!" I was fed up with his shit. I wasn't wasting any more time talking. He was going to fucking die. Right here, right now.

"Okay, then. That's your decision." I said. "You have no idea how fucked you truly are!" I reared my fist back and punched the door full force. It left a large dent in it, and a gasp of surprise came from the camera. I ignored it and punched the door again. A crack formed in the metal. I looked at the camera.

"Do you surrender? Last chance." I threatened. No response. I shrugged, then lifted my leg up toward the door. I kicked forward, and the door completely buckled inward, breaking off its hinges. The barrier between me and the inside now destroyed, I took a step inside the house and took in the immediate scene.

I was in a long hallway. A bit down the hallway to my right was a pair of double doors leading into a living room. At the end of the hallway was a kitchen that extended off to the right, presumably connected to the living room. Looking to my immediate right, there was a display case holding a katana with a gold hilt. A little further down the hall was a similar display case, but this time with a silver-hilted katana.

Suddenly, a flash of movement at the end of the hallway caught my attention. A man in his forties appeared from the left of the doorway into the kitchen. He was a bit taller than me, with short brown hair and purple eyes. He had a bit of a stubble, and a tired but angry look on his face. He was wearing a white button-up shirt with gray jeans and black shoes, and he was holding a gun. I instantly knew who I was looking at.

"Hiran." I muttered hatefully. This was the man who'd been abusing Natsuki for years. The man who I came to save Natsuki from. The man who I came... to kill.

"Yes, I'm Hiran." I was surprised he heard me from that distance. "Now tell me, boy. How much do you know?" He had that hateful glare in his eyes. The glare that I probably also had at that very moment. I probably shouldn't have responded, but at that moment, there wasn't anything that I cared about more than saving Natsuki.

"I know that you moved here exclusively to abuse your daughter." I claimed. "I know that you beat her, starve her, and sexually abuse her! She told me everything! I know that she's up in her bedroom, probably barely alive! I know that's your doing, and I'm not leaving without her!" I almost felt proud of that speech, but Hiran seemed less than impressed.

"Listen here, boy!" He yelled. "I know it was that little n****r bitch that told you about the broken window! Ever since those foreigners moved here, they've been nothing but an eyesore to me! The fact that my daughter made friends with them is pathetic. SHE IS NO DAUGHTER OF MINE! SHE CAN DIE FOR ALL I CARE!" Then he pointed the gun at me and fired.

Time slowed down as I saw my death approaching. Was this the end? Was I going to make it this far, only to be shot down by a middle-aged drunk? No. That wasn't happening. I didn't care if I got hurt. I didn't care if I was alone in this situation. I wasn't going to let Natsuki die here. When I said that time slowed down? That wasn't exactly true. I just enhanced my speed.

Because of my enhanced speed, time around me seemed to slow down. I could see the bullet traveling toward me. With the power in my body and the hope in my heart, I leaned to the right and the bullet sailed past me and out the doorway. Time went back to normal, and I was met with a confused and sputtering Hiran.

"W-what?!" He exclaimed. "H-how did you...?!" He didn't stay stunned for long and began to fire again. I dodged again, but this time to the left. The bullet struck the display case containing the gold-hilted sword. The glass shattered, but I chose to ignore the now-accessible sword. Instead I rushed at Hiran at full speed.

He wasn't even able to fire another shot before I tackled him with my full body weight, sending us both into the kitchen. He dropped the gun when we collided, leaving us both unarmed. We both landed next to each other on the floor of the kitchen, scrambling to get up. I stood up and faced a fully recovered Hiran. He was surprisingly fast and hit me instantly across the face with a punch. I reeled back, and he advanced.

When he was within striking distance, I walloped him back across the face. Before he could back up, I grabbed his arm and threw him behind me, in the direction of the main cooking area. That turned out to be a mistake, as he quickly grabbed a knife off the countertop. He brandished it, but I wasn't intimidated. I ran at him, completely unarmed.

He thrust the knife out, but I dodged to the right and grabbed his arm. He tried to use his left arm to free his right from my grip, but I grabbed that one too. We found ourselves in a grapple, each one of us struggling for dominance.

"Why do you treat your own daughter like this?!" I yelled. "Why do you hate Natsuki?!"

"She has no respect for anyone, just like her whore of a mother. I told Kojin I didn't want a child, but she didn't listen! I deserved control over that disgusting creature, but she wouldn't give it to me!" He sounded like a maniac.

"Then why do you sexually abuse her?!" I was angrier than I'd ever been before. "If you look at her as a 'disgusting creature', then why do you basically fucking rape her?!" Hiran laughed maniacally.

"Sometimes you need to take drastic measures when punishing your children. My daughter's existence itself is something to be punished for!" He let out more insane laughs.

At this point, I wasn't even talking to a human being. The creature I was talking to was as if someone tried to create an A.I. from only research on the dark web. It was disgusting.

"Well, if that's how you feel..." I said. "THEN THIS IS THE DAY YOU DIE, HIRAN! FUCK YOU!"

I let go of his left hand and punched him in the stomach a few times, followed by a solid headbutt. He staggered back, and I used that opportunity to reach forward at the knife. However, it seemed like I had misinterpreted just how focused he was, as he quickly turned the tables by thrusting the knife forward once again. This time, it grazed my right arm.

A line of blood appeared down the length of my forearm, but I didn't stop moving. I dodged to the left and grabbed his wrist, but even that wasn't enough to constrict his arm from moving. He swiped the knife towards my body and stabbed me in the side. I screamed out in pain, and he took this moment to grab my head and force it down onto the countertop. He had the complete upper hand as my head was pushed down against the countertop, unable to look anywhere but to the side.

"You know, boy... I'm going to be really happy once I'm finally able to get some peace and quiet..." Then he stabbed the knife down towards my skull.

'_I'm not dying here.'_ I told myself. '_If I die here, Natsuki will die as well. I'm not dying. I'm NOT dying... I'M NOT FUCKING DYING HERE!'_

Using immense strength, I wrestled my left arm around and grabbed Hiran's wrist right before the knife's tip penetrated my cranium. I then grabbed the nearest object-a frying pan-off the stove to my right. As I held the knife just away from my head, I swung the frying pan behind me, aiming for Hiran.

I successfully hit him, and he staggered back in pain, allowing me to move. I snapped up from the countertop, then faced Hiran. He was rubbing the side of his head with his eyes closed in pain. Without giving him a second to recover, I swung the frying pan to the right, whacking him across the face.

"YOU!"

I swung back, whacking him once again, but this time to the left.

"MOTHER!"

I brought the frying pan down, then swung it up with all my strength into Hiran's chin, sending him flying backwards.

"FUCKER!"

Hiran landed on the kitchen floor, most likely unconscious. I walked over to him and stomped his face a few times, followed by me throwing the frying pan at his face, just to be safe. I stood triumphantly over his unconscious body for a few seconds, but then turned towards a staircase located out the left of the kitchen as I remembered why I was there.

"NATSUKIIIIIIIIIIIII!" I dashed over to the staircase as fast as my legs would carry me, ran up them, then found myself at the end of a long hallway.

Without thinking, I sprinted as fast as I could down the hallway, determined to find Natsuki. It wasn't long before I found myself in front of a pink door, decorated similarly to Sayori's door back at her house. It was without a doubt Natsuki's room. I grabbed the doorknob and turned it, throwing the door open as fast as I could. The scene that I was met with... was horrible.

The room was almost completely empty, all except for a single, plain bed. There weren't any sheets, blankets, pillows, or anything like that on the bed. Natsuki was laying there, shivering and looking away. Her clothes were torn, so much so that her t-shirt looked more like a crop top. She looked unusually pale, then it hit me.

Not only was this a recreation of the events from Exit Music, but it was also an addition. The window was shattered, and there wasn't anything in the room that could've been used to keep warm. The empty pill bottle was still by Natsuki's bed, but it seemed to me that Natsuki was also in great danger of freezing to death, most likely courtesy of her 'father'.

"Natsuki!" I ran over to the bed and crouched down at the side. "Natsuki, are you okay?" No response. I was beginning to panic, so I touched Natsuki's back to try to get a reaction. Thankfully, she began to stir. I looked on in worry as she slowly turned around to face me. When I saw her face, I gasped.

The life seemed to have drained out of her. Her skin was almost white, and there was a small cut on her left cheek. Her eyes were only half-opened, and they were unfocused. That feeling of dread only got worse when she spoke.

"A...lex?" It was barely a whisper. "I-is that you...?" It broke my heart to see her like this.

"Yeah, Nat. It's me. I'm here." I said. "Listen, we have to get out of here. Can... can you walk?" Natsuki's expression didn't change.

"So... cold..." She whispered. "Can't... move..." I thought about ways to warm her up, then remembered the hoodie that I was wearing.

"Here, put this on." I offered as I took off my hoodie.

With a bit of difficulty, I was able to get Natsuki into a sitting position on the bed. I then maneuvered her body into the hoodie, then carefully zipped it up. It was a bit cold in the room, but not too much for me to handle. I was from Canada, after all.

"There, is that better?" I asked. The colour was already starting to return to Natsuki's face, but still not to the point of a normal skin tone.

"Alex... why... here...?" Natsuki was still a bit disoriented, but she could at least get her point across.

"Tiffany saw the window break. I'm here to save you. We need to get out of here." I explained. Natsuki slowly shook her head.

"Can't... walk..." She begged weakly. "Leave... behind..." Was she... was she telling me to just leave her there to die?

"No, Nat." I ordered. "I'm not leaving you here. I fought your father. I'm not going to leave you here with that abusive son of a bitch." Natsuki seemed to be thinking the idea over, as if it needed thinking over.

Without waiting for another response, I hoisted Natsuki to her feet, slinging her left arm over my shoulders for support. I tried to get her to move her feet, and was eventually successful to the point where she could take step after step at a decent pace. It wasn't quite walking speed, but it was good enough.

Then, not even halfway out the door, Natsuki threw up. A stream of bile and drugs flew out of her mouth and landed on the other side of the hallway. A little bit got on her shoes, but nothing too bad. Suddenly, she began to speak.

"Alex... I don't want... to die..." She squeaked. "Please... help... me..." She was now looking at me with desperation in her eyes. There was no need to ask me twice. I did my best to get Natsuki out of that house.

Somehow, we eventually got to the kitchen where Hiran and I had our scuffle, but something didn't seem right to me. I disregarded the strange feeling and continued on, not wanting Natsuki to die. I quickly realized that was a horrible mistake, as when I turned the corner, I felt a stabbing pain in my right thigh.

The pain caused me to trip and drop Natsuki, and she stumbled over to the case holding the silver katana. I fell to my knees and my vision darted over to my leg, where I saw Hiran holding the golden katana firmly inside my flesh. He retracted the blade, then took another stab at the same spot. I screamed out in pain again, then lunged down and grabbed the hilt of the sword.

With a lot of pain, I wrestled the blade out of my thigh and pointed it away from me. I twisted Hiran's wrist, causing him to drop the sword. Using all my strength, I picked up Hiran with both arms, held him above my head, and threw him into the living room. With my thigh throbbing in pain, I picked up the katana and limped after him.

As soon as I entered the room, I was tackled to the ground by Hiran from the side. I dropped the sword and screamed out in pain caused by my thigh wound.

"FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU!" Hiran chanted as we fought on the floor. We were both trying to get the upper hand, with Hiran being a little more successful than me. Suddenly, he was kicked to the side by an unknown person.

Hiran flew to the side from this kick produced by this person, but my vision was too blurry to see who it was. The person ran at Hiran to begin a fight of their own, leaving me laying on the ground in pain. There wasn't much to do but sit there and wait for my vision to come back to full strength, but when it eventually did, I was revealed the identity of the person who saved me.

Tiffany was now a part of the action, punching and kicking Hiran whenever possible. She fought surprisingly ferociously for someone like her, considering she was technically sick. I looked on in amazement as she fought, but Hiran eventually got the upper hand. He grabbed her by the neck and choke slammed her onto the floor, but then decided to leave her alone, instead opting to advance on me.

There was nothing I could do. I couldn't see the sword, I had no strength left, and I was completely helpless on the floor. Hiran grabbed me by the neck and hoisted me up. He was now holding me in the air like a ragdoll. I couldn't even move my body. Then, Hiran began to talk.

"I must say, I'm impressed by what you were able to do here. I mean, you successfully knocked me out, found Natsuki, and almost escaped. However, this is where it ends, boy. Say goodnight." He reared his fist back, and I was sure that was the end. My life flashed before my eyes, and I saw all the people I'd come so close to.

I saw Monika standing outside the school as I comforted her on my first day there. I saw myself protecting Yuri from Okane and Chad. I saw myself and Mc playing My Hero One's Justice. I saw Tiffany running towards us as we left school. I saw Shiro smiling at me from inside the math classroom. And finally... I saw Natsuki and I kissing for the first time.

'_I'm sorry, Nat...' _I thought. '_Looks like I couldn't keep my promise...'_ I closed my eyes and waited for the end...

But the end never came. I was confused. Was I dead? Why did I still feel pain in my thigh, then? Cautiously, I opened my eyes, and was greeted with a scene that I'll never forget as long as I live.

Monika was standing right behind Hiran, holding the golden katana. The blade was stabbed into his back and came out just in front of me. It was covered in blood. I looked at Hiran, and his face showed an expression of pain and anger. There was blood spewing out of the corner of his mouth. He eventually collapsed, leaving me to fall on the ground.

"ALEX!" Monika screamed in worry. She crouched down to my side and inspected my thigh wound. I averted my eyes from it, but I could tell it was bad.

"Don't mind me." I said. "Is... is Natsuki okay?" Monika gave me a look of disdain, but it quickly changed to something softer.

"She's no better, but right now we need to treat this wound." She opened her purse, but I held up a hand.

"Not until we get back to Mc's house. I'm not just going to let Natsuki die while we clean this goddamn wound." I ordered. Monika looked like she wanted to argue but could see the worry in my expression.

"Very well." She agreed. "However, at least let me bind it." I nodded weakly in semi-agreement, mostly because I knew I wouldn't get anywhere by arguing.

Monika ripped off a section of her skirt and wrapped it around my thigh. It still hurt when she was done, but I'd at least be able to walk for a while. On wobbly feet, and with Monika's help, I was able to stand up. I looked over to where I last saw Natsuki to see her being supported by Tiffany. Suddenly, Natsuki completely collapsed, barely being caught by Tiffany. Tiffany looked at her for a few moments, then turned to us.

"She's not going to survive long without food." She stated, causing me to panic. Using Monika for support, I limped over to them.

"Let's get her back to Mc's house. If we're quick, we can save her." I explained. They nodded in agreement, then Natsuki began to stir.

"Tiff...any? Mon...ika?" She had her eyes mostly closed, and her voice was barely there. "Is that... you?"

"Yes, I'm here." Tiffany responded softly. "And so is Monika." Natsuki smiled lightly.

"So... you knew?" She asked.

"We had our suspicions." Monika responded. "Now don't speak. You'll need that strength to stay awa-"

"Look out!" Tiffany screamed. A yell was emanating from behind Monika and I, and we instinctually dodged to the sides. I lunged to the right as Monika lunged to the left. I instantly regretted that decision, as that left Natsuki wide open.

I quickly turned around to see that Hiran wasn't dead, and was now holding the gold sword again. He was holding it above his head, ready to swing downward. Tiffany stared in shock and fear as he barreled towards them. This lasted for only a second, however, as Natsuki grabbed the silver-hilted sword from the nearby shattered display case and thrusted it at her father.

I was surprised to see that the case was broken, having not noticed it before, but I was even more surprised too discover that Natsuki still had enough energy in her body to do that. Hiran didn't stop in time, and he quickly found the blade impaled through his torso one more, this time slightly off to the left. Without hesitating, I got back up to my feet and rushed over to Hiran. I put my hands on his back and pushed him further onto the sword, which eventually peeked out the other side.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me." Natsuki spat at him as his head slumped forward. Natsuki's grip on the sword loosened, and it freed from her hand. Hiran fell backward, hopefully finally dead this time, and hit the ground heavily. Blood covered his face and torso, shining in the light of the ceiling fixtures.

I almost celebrated, but then I looked at Natsuki. Her entire body was limp, and her eyes had closed completely. My heart stopped.

"Natsuki! Hang in there!" I yelled as I limped over to her. "Tiffany, come on. Let's get her back to Mc's place. We can still save her!" Tiffany, who had been shocked frozen this entire time, suddenly snapped to action.

"O-okay. You lead the way." She stuttered. Monika came over and propped me up. Using her as support, we made our way out of the house and off that damn property.

*Five minutes later*

"Come on! We're halfway there!" I encouraged determinedly.

Because of my thigh wound, we weren't able to go as fast as I had when going to Natsuki's house. We were going half as fast, which even at that speed made my thigh throb with constant pain. Monika and I lead the way, us being the two who actually knew where Mc's house was. Tiffany followed behind, still carrying the hopefully just unconscious Natsuki in her arms. I was half tempted to just tell them to leave me behind so they could move faster, but I'd told Mc to only unlock the door if it was me.

'_Why the hell did I tell him that?!' _I scolded myself mentally. '_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!'_

"Hey, Alex?" Tiffany's concerned voice yanked me out of my mental self-punishment.

"What is it, Tiff?" I inquired.

"Natsuki's getting colder. I don't think she has much time left." Her voice was filled with despair, but I was filled with hope.

"Have faith, Tiff." I told her. "Natsuki's going to make it. Now come on!" I felt like I was being a bit too pushy, but I couldn't allow us to slow down for even a second. Every second that passed was a second that Natsuki was in danger, and I couldn't let her die. I made her a promise. I wasn't going to break that promise.

*Five minutes later*

"Here it is! Come on!" We finally made it to Mc's house. Monika and I entered the property and went over to the front door, Tiffany trailing behind. We stopped in front of the door and I began to knock on it frantically.

"Mc! MC! Let us in! Natsuki's going to die!" I yelled.

I kept knocking and yelling, and I eventually heard the door unlocking. We looked on in baited breath as it slowly opened. Eventually, the face of Mc peeked out cautiously. He looked at us in worry, but his expression of worry worsened tenfold when he saw my injuries and the unconscious Natsuki being carried behind me. He opened the door all the way.

"What the fuck happened?!" He screamed. "Are you okay?!" I didn't have any time to talk, so I let go of Monika and limped forward, Tiffany and Monika following behind me.

"There's no time to explain." I said. "Natsuki is starving and freezing! We need to get her some food and a blanket!" As Tiffany and Monika filed inside, Mc nodded frantically, then burst off towards the kitchen.

"Monika, there are blankets in the first room on the right up the stairs! Go get some!" Mc ordered from the kitchen. "Tiffany and Alex, get Natsuki in here!" We all looked at each other, then nodded in agreement.

Tiffany and I rushed into the kitchen as Monika broke off towards the stairs. We entered the kitchen and sat Natsuki down at one of the chairs around the table. We knelt down on either side of her and began to check her body.

"She's still alive, but just barely." I stated as I checked her pulse. After about five (long) minutes, Mc came over with a bowl of soup.

"Here, feed her this." He said. I looked into the bowl and saw that it was tomato soup. Simple, but quick to make. I kept checking Natsuki's pulse as Tiffany trickled the soup down her throat. Monika came back holding a very thick blanket.

"Come on, put the blanket around her." I ordered. We paused the force feeding for a few seconds to get the blanket around Natsuki's body. When she was fully wrapped in it, Tiffany continued to feed her the soup, I continued to monitor her pulse, and Monika and Mc looked on in worry.

We continued this for a while until the bowl was empty. Natsuki's pulse was still weak, but it was strong enough for her to live. In fact, it was stronger than it was when I found her in her room.

"She's okay. She's going to be fine." I stated with a relieved smile.

Everyone let out an almost collective sigh of relief, with included me. Then, I began to keel over to my right. My right leg buckled, and I began to feel the full pain of my injuries. The cut along my right arm, the stab in my side, the wound in my thigh, and all the bruises across my body were starting to hurt due to the loss of adrenaline. Right before both my legs collapsed, Monika caught me from behind.

"I think it's time we healed your wounds." She explained. "Mc, where do you keep your medical equipment?" Mc snapped out of his shock and answered.

"In the upstairs bathroom. There's a first-aid kit attached to the wall." He answered.

"Thank you. I'll go treat Alex's wounds." Monika thanked. She then hoisted me up and carried me away towards the stairs.

As I was carried away, I couldn't help but look back at Natsuki. I'd found her barely alive not thirty minutes before, and there she was, nursed back to what could be considered perfect health compared to her previous situation. Her skin was still pale, and she was still shivering a bit, but she was alive. With this image of hope burned into my brain, I was carried out of sight, and Natsuki was no longer in view.

"I should really thank you for what you've done here today." Monika told me as she sat me down on the toilet lid. "Going to such lengths to save Natsuki... I'm speechless." She slid the first-aid kit off the wall and brought it over. She opened it to reveal a slew of medical supplies, including disinfectant and bandages. She quickly got to treating my stab wounds.

"You don't need to thank me for that." I explained. "I care about Nat just as much as you do." I thought about the kiss we shared earlier, and I felt my face heat up.

That feeling of embarrassment instantly disappeared, however, and was replaced with pain as Monika uncovered my leg wound. I looked at the carnage, and instantly regretted that decision. The wound had stopped bleeding, but the amount of blood remaining still made me a little woozy. It was like a hole all the way through my leg. Monika didn't seem to like it any more than I did.

"Be quiet while I clean and bind these. I need to concentrate." Monika ordered. I nodded, then prepared for extreme pain as Monika grabbed the cleaning agent out of the first-aid kit.

*Ten minutes later*

"There we go. That should do it." Monika stated as she finished taping down the final bandage on my right arm. The cut along my right arm wasn't all that bad compared to the other injuries to my thigh and abdomen, but it wasn't pleasant either. I experimentally flexed my arm and leg. My arm didn't really hurt at all, but my leg was still quite sore.

"Good as new." I joked as I stood up. I winced in pain as I put weight on my right leg, so I redistributed most of my weight to my left leg. Monika put the first-aid kit back on the wall, then turned around and hugged me. She was sobbing.

"Thank you... so much..." She spoke between sobs. "You have no idea... how long I've been trying..." I put my hand on the back of her head to comfort her. After a few dozen seconds of crying, Monika got a hold of herself enough to pull away. I didn't want to ruin to moment, but I just had to ask.

"Monika, I wanted to ask you something." I got her attention. "When Hiran was taunting me earlier, he mentioned Natsuki making friends with 'two lesbians'. Are you...?" Monika blushed and looked away, embarrassed.

"Um... well... bisexual, actually." She admitted. "When I was at Sayori's today, I squeezed in some time to help her with her depression at the end. We were just talking on the couch, and I asked her something like 'do you still have feelings for Mc?' to which she replied with 'I'm starting to have my eyes on someone else right now'. And then she leaned in and kissed me."

"Just like that?" I asked.

"Not exactly... we'd technically been... 'together' for longer than that, but that was when it was officially decided." She explained. I felt like there was a bit more to the story, but I didn't want to pry.

"We should probably get back to the others." I prodded. Monika nodded in agreement and wiped the tears from her eyes. She smiled warmly, and for the first time since I'd gotten here, I could tell that she was completely, truly happy. With a smile on my face, I left the bathroom with Monika following close behind.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw that the kitchen was oddly empty. There was only one other place they could be, so I turned to the left and entered the living room. When I walked in, my eyes instantly gravitated towards Natsuki sitting on the couch next to Tiffany. Mc was sitting on the couch across from them.

Without any hesitation, I quickly limped over to Natsuki and knelt down in front of her. I looked her in the eyes and put my hands on her shoulders. They had an almost empty look to them, with something hiding behind. Natsuki took a second to focus on me, then gave me a soft smile. Mirroring her smile, I threw my arms around her and pulled her into a hug. I could feel tears soaking into my t-shirt, and I quickly realized that I was crying as well.

"I was so worried..." I said silently. "I thought you were going to die..."

"Same here... I thought my father was going to kill you..." She was clutching onto my back like I could disappear any moment. We stayed like that for a while, until I noticed that eyes were on my back. I reluctantly ended the hug and sat down next to Natsuki to face the others. Mc looked confused, Monika looked interested, and Tiffany looked happy.

"So... you two are together now?" Monika observed. I could feel myself blushing, and Natsuki turned as red as my hoodie she was wearing.

"Y-yeah..." I admitted. "We're together." Everyone smiled, including Natsuki and I. The happiness didn't last long, however, as Natsuki broke the silence.

"How did you guys know I was in trouble?" She asked quietly. Her voice was still a bit weak, probably due to her just barely being alive a few moments ago. Of course, Tiffany was the first to answer.

"I saw that your window broke from my room, so I called Alex and Monika to come help out." She explained. "We knew there was something going on between you and your father, so I was keeping watch just in case." Natsuki looked down dejectedly.

"I assume you want to know what happened, don't you?" She inquired with a few tears.

'_How did she Segway into this?'_ I thought.

"Only if you want to, Nat." I reassured her. "We're not going to force you." Natsuki suddenly snapped her head up. She had an expression of trying to look tough and determined, but the tears in her eyes pulled away from the illusion.

"No... no... I owe you all this for all the trouble I've caused you." She wiped the tears from her eyes and did her best to keep a neutral expression, but all the trauma she'd gone through in the past few hours made that quite difficult. Nonetheless, she powered through and told us.

"_My father called me into the living room as soon as I got home. When I saw him, I could instantly tell he was drunk. More drunk than usual, anyway. He said he wanted to talk to me. I walked up to him cautiously, and he lunged at me. I was expecting that, but I still couldn't do anything about it. He knocked me to the ground and began to 'feel me up'."_ Mc made a 'woah woah woah' gesture.

"He began to WHAT?!" Monika put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something into his ear. When she was done, Mc's face went completely white. I assumed she just told him about Natsuki's sexual abuse, but I couldn't be certain. Anyway, seeing that the situation was dealt with, Natsuki continued.

"_I tried to get away, but he had a strong grip. It's horrible, but this was a normal occurrence in my house. He picked me up and took my phone out of my pocket. He threw it onto the ground and crushed it with his foot. He dragged me into the kitchen and took a bottle of pills out of one of the cabinets. He forced them down my throat, one by one, until it was empty. By that point, I was terrified. He then dragged me upstairs and threw me onto my bed. It was at this point that he began to take things further than he'd ever before. H-he tried t-to... he tried to..."_

Natsuki was struggling to get the words out.

"H-he tried to r-rape m-me..." She burst into tears, and everyone collectively gasped. So that was why her shirt was torn.

Unbearably hurt by this news, I pulled Natsuki into a hug to comfort her. Natsuki clawed her arms around me, desperate to not let go. She was crying a literal river, and I could feel the tears soaking into my shirt. I put my hand on the back of her head, and her grip tightened. I could literally feel her fear. I'd always known that Natsuki was secretly much more fragile than she'd let herself known to be, but this was beyond anything I'd ever expected. I didn't care that everyone was watching. I wasn't going to let her suffer alone.

"Natsu..." Tiffany muttered as she scooted closer. "I'm so sorry..." She put a hand on Natsuki's back in comfort. Other than me, Tiffany was the closest to Natsuki. It made sense for her to be so worried about her.

"W-when I resisted," Natsuki continued, barely hearable," he beat me. H-he b-beat me to the point where I c-couldn't even m-move. He took all the b-blankets and p-pillows in my room, then s-smashed the w-window in h-hopes I would f-freeze to d-death. He said I was as b-bad as my m-mother, then he l-left and l-locked me in."

I listened to every word, but it was still just barely believable. With what reasoning I had left, I told Natsuki the only thing I could think of.

"Nat... you're safe now. You don't have to go back to that horrible place." However, instead of feeling relief, Natsuki instead pulled out of the hug and screamed.

"Where am I supposed to go then, Alex?!" She was screaming at me, but there was no anger behind her voice. "I have nowhere to go! I have no relatives to live with!" She buried her face in my shirt again, bawling uncontrollably. I returned my hand to the back of her head to comfort her to little success. Then, Mc stood up and came over. He knelt down and put a hand on Natsuki's shoulder.

"You can come live with us." He offered, causing Natsuki to turn around in shock. "We have a couple of extra bedrooms you can use. I'm sure my parents won't have a problem with it." He smiled warmly. Natsuki blinked a few times before giving off a smile of gratitude.

"Thank you..." She thanked graciously. "I... I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything." I told her. "You'll want to save your voice for the poem reciting tomorrow." I meant that statement as a joke, but Natsuki didn't seem to find it funny, and promptly slapped me across the face.

"Dummy." She smiled, assuring me that she wasn't actually mad. That was the main order of business taken care of, but there was one last thing I wanted to know. I turned to Tiffany and Monika.

"What will you two do? I mean, surely you two need to get home." They thought for a moment, looked at each other, then nodded in some sort of agreement. I didn't see how they could've come to a conclusion without saying anything, but I wasn't going to ask questions.

"Mc, is it okay if we stay the night?" Monika asked. Mc turned a bit red, then made a long "uuuuuhhhhhhh" sound before responding.

"I suppose. Someone will have to sleep on the couch, though." I raised up my hand jokingly.

"I volunteer as tribute." I joked. Everyone laughed, including Natsuki. Afterwards, though, Mc gave me a serious look.

"Are you sure? I mean, we're the only two here with assigned beds."

"I'm sure." I confirmed. "Natsuki can use my room. It's the closest to the stairs, so we'll all be able to hear if anything happens. Just in case." Everyone nodded in agreement, even Natsuki. With everything decided, everyone got to work to prepare for the sudden and unorthodox sleepover.

*Ten minutes later*

You'd be surprised with how smoothly things went, especially with my injuries. Tiffany called her parents to let them know she was sleeping at a friend's house (she lied and said it was at Monika's), Mc showed Monika and Tiffany the guest rooms they'd be sleeping in, and Natsuki helped me get the blankets and pillows for the couch I would be sleeping on.

"I wanted to thank you one last time, Alex." Natsuki said to me before everyone went to bed. "I know I normally come off as a bit of a bitch, but I'm really glad you didn't see me that way. You're the first one in a while." She looked off to the side, blushing. I smiled at her warmly.

"You don't need to thank me, Nat. I'd do anything for you." I just had to end on something cheesy, and Natsuki's laughter confirmed my words were cheesy enough.

"You dork." She joked. "Good night. I'll see you in the morning." She walked away and up the stairs towards her (my) room. I smiled to myself.

'_Good night, Nat.'_ I thought. '_You're safe now, I promise.' _I leaned over and turned off the light. Snuggling up in the covers, I closed my eyes and drifted off...

...

_What was that sound?_

I awoke groggily. This was the second time that night I woke up randomly, and it was really starting to worry me. This time, however, instead of a feeling of dread waking me up, it was a distant sound. I raised my head, suddenly wide awake and peered over at the digital clock on the side table next to me.

It read 12:00 am. Ignoring the obvious problem with my sleep schedule, I closed my eyes and listened closely to the sound that woke me up. It sounded like crying, and it was coming from upstairs.

I got off the couch and tiptoed over to the stairs. I crept up them as quietly as possible and detected that the sounds were coming from my room. The room that Natsuki was sleeping in. A new feeling of dread encompassing me, I cautiously approached the door. Hands shaking, I grabbed onto the handle and slowly turned the knob. Pushing forward, I peeked inside to reveal...

Everything normal, with Natsuki sleeping on my bed. Upon closer inspection, however, it seemed like she was crying in her sleep. Thoroughly worried, I snuck up closer to the bed and leaned in to her. To my surprise, she began to whisper.

"Don't... don't... leave... me... No... don't... touch... him... please... don't... hurt... him..." I couldn't tell what she was dreaming about, but it couldn't be good. I lightly poked her shoulder as she slept.

"Nat... wake up." I said. After a few seconds, she began to stir. She looked me in the eyes, then began to cry.

"Why?" She asked. "Why did you help me?" She was on the verge of breaking down, but I couldn't understand why she was asking this.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I'm not important, Alex. I'm weak. Why did you help me? I'm only going to weigh you down." Natsuki cried quietly, and I was stunned silent.

This wasn't the Natsuki I knew. The Natsuki I knew wouldn't just say something like that. With the term 'actions speak louder than words' playing in my head, I climbed into bed next to Natsuki. She gasped in shock, but otherwise just let it happen. Laying directly in front of Natsuki, I put my hand on her cheek.

"What are you talking about, Nat?" I whispered. "Why wouldn't I help you?"

"It's because of me that you got those injuries." She sobbed. "It's because of me that you got hurt. Alex, why aren't you angry with me?" I was internally crying, but I hid it behind a smile.

"Nat, I chose to protect you with my body." I told her. "I don't care if I get hurt, as long as you're safe." Natsuki continued to cry.

"I don't... understand..." She squeaked. Knowing what I had to do, I brought us closer to each other. The pain in my body was a fair trade-off for the girl that was in front of me in that very moment. If I had to live through it again just to be with her, I would do it.

"Nat, I've lost so many people before." I uttered. "I'm not losing you as well. Natsuki, I love you..." I pulled her into a kiss. It was just like earlier that day, but this time, I was actually able to say it. Natsuki was stunned silent, but eventually leaned into me.

"Alex... I love you too..." She confessed. We smiled at each other, then held each other in our arms, eventually drifting off to sleep together. I wasn't going to let her be hurt any more. I would die before then. If there was one thing I knew it was that she was going to live. She wasn't going to suffer any more.

_Not this time..._

End of Chapter 7

(_Author's note: Hey, everyone. Sorry this chapter was so much longer than all the others. I was worried that the weekend segment would be too short, so I tried to lengthen it by a bit. As you can tell, I kind of lengthened it a bit too much, and I ended up with a chapter more than 50% longer than all the others. Sorry about that!)_


	9. Bonus Chapter: Natsuki

_(Author's Note: This isn't chapter 8, although you could probably tell from the title. You see, the laptop that I usually write these chapters on broke, so it had to get fixed, which for some reason took almost three weeks. Since I don't want to have another ridiculously long delay between chapters again, I decided to make this little mini chapter. Enjoy!)_

Bonus Chapter: Natsuki

Sadness. Guilt. Pain. It was all I felt.

Why is this all I feel?

Why is this all I?

Why is this all?

Why is this?

Why is?

Why?

Who am I?

Where am I?

Why am I crying?

Who is that woman sitting next to me on this bed?

I tried to move my body, but I couldn't control myself. I couldn't stop crying. I tried to think.

'_What's happening?' _I thought. '_Come on, think!'_ Digging through my memories, I suddenly remembered.

My name is Natsuki Kurushimi. I am five years old. I am in my bedroom. I'm crying because my father won't let me leave my bedroom until he's done talking with his co-worker. The woman next to me is my mother, who is trying to make me feel better. It isn't working.

"Why is daddy so MEAN?!" I heard myself cry out. I couldn't control what I was saying. It was like I was only an observer of what was happening. I began to panic, but then I quickly calmed down as I heard my mother's voice.

"He's not mean, Natsuki." She told me softly. "He's only busy. He really does care about you, you know. He just chooses not to show it." That was a lie. He never cared about me. The only reason why I stopped crying when she said that was her voice. It was so soothing and calm. Like a soft and fluffy blanket.

"Mommy, when will I be allowed out?" I asked. My mother pursed her lips, and my heart somehow dropped further. That look never meant good things.

"It will be quite a while, Natsuki." She admitted. "However, you won't be alone this time." I was never alone. My mother was always with me when my father was being mean.

"What do you mean?" I asked. My mother smiled happily, then said:

"This time, daddy's friend brought his son." She explained. "You two can play for a while until they're done talking, okay?" I was amazed.

"Yay!" I exclaimed excitedly. "Where is he?" My mother held up a finger.

"I'll go get him now, Natsuki." She then got up and exited my room.

I was so excited. This was the first time I'd ever been happy during one of my father's meetings. I waited impatiently for my mother to return, and when she did, she was being followed by a boy about the same age as me. I couldn't see him correctly, though. Whenever I tried to focus my eyes on him, they unfocused. The 'me' that I was watching through didn't seem to mind, though.

"Hello!" I marched over to him and held out a hand. "My name's Natsuki! What's yours?" The boy reached out and took my hand, giving it a firm, but slightly lazy, shake.

"Hello there, Natsuki." He greeted with a smile. "My name's ^$*%^##*()." I was confused by the strange garble of sounds he'd just made, but once again, the 'me' that was actually there didn't notice.

"Hey, do you read manga?" I suddenly asked. The boy gave a wide grin, indicating the answer he was about to say.

"Yeah, I love manga!" He answered. "I assume you're a fan of Parfait Girls?" I gasped.

"How did you know?!" It seemed like this 'me' thought he was magic. My bubble was burst when he pointed to an overturned pile of that very manga in the middle of my room.

"That's how." He quickly seemed to notice my disappointment, then quickly added: "Hey, do you want to read it together?" That statement instantly perked me up, and I frantically nodded my head. Both of us giggling, we quickly ran over to the manga and began reading.

I was suddenly yanked back, but not physically. My body was staying still, but my vision jerked back and upward into the air. I looked down at the scene and saw myself from the third person. It was weird, but my vision didn't stop moving. I kept going up. Through the ceiling and into a black void of nothing. I was scared.

I suddenly heard a loud scream of anger from all around me. I recognized the voice, and all it did was deepen my fear. I frantically looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, then saw him:

My father was in the distance, slowly walking towards me with heavy steps. I began to feel a dull pain throbbing in my body, then it suddenly worsened into a horrible, stinging pain. I clutched my body, then realized I had no body.

My father was now halfway towards me. It didn't make sense for him to be so close in such a short amount of time, but I was too focused on the pain to care. He came closer and closer. His footsteps got louder and louder. The pain got worse and worse. Then, he was right above me.

"FOUND YOU!" He shouted as he reached down at me. His hand was open, ready to grab me. I was terrified and in excruciating pain. The pain doubled for every second his hand got closer. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't talk, move, or even close my eyes. If I could scream, I would've. The hand got closer, closer, then just as it was about to touch me...

"Nat... wake up."

I was ejected from my dream and found myself back in Alex's room in Mc's house. Alex was looking at me with a worried expression. My gaze glanced down his body, and although I could see them, the presence of his injuries were very obvious to me. Tears began to fall from my eyes, and I threw my arms around him.

"Why?" I asked. "Why did you help me?" I was pushed to the edge. I couldn't take it any more. Why did Alex help me?

"What do you mean?" He asked back. He should damn well know what I mean! I wasn't worth it. I wasn't strong. I... I...

"I'm not important, Alex. I'm weak. Why did you help me? I'm only going to weigh you down." I was sobbing lightly into his shoulder. He said nothing for the longest time, then pulled out of the hug and climbed into the bed with me. He shuffled up next to me and I gasped in shock. He put his hand on my cheek, which helped a bit, then said:

"What are you talking about, Nat?" He whispered. "Why wouldn't I help you?" I just told you why, Alex! I'm useless! It's all my fault! It's because of me...

"It's because of me that you got those injuries." I was heavily crying. "It's because of me that you got hurt. Alex, why aren't you angry with me?" Alex looked hurt but tried his best to hide it with a smile. I, on the other hand, couldn't stop crying.

"Nat, I chose to protect you with my body." He told me. "I don't care if I get hurt, as long as you're safe." That didn't stop me from crying, but he at least lessened it by a bit. Even so... I didn't get it. I couldn't get it. I...

"I don't... understand..." I sobbed lightly. He pulled me into an embrace, and my world felt warmer. I felt calmer. I still felt a lot of guilt, though.

"Nat, I've lost so many people before." He uttered. "I'm not losing you as well. Natsuki, I love you..." He pulled me into a kiss, and my world was alive again. A lot of thoughts flowed through my head during that kiss. The most prominent being 'what does he mean by 'lost people'?', but they were all background noise as I melted into the kiss, finally calm. I pulled away from the kiss to tell him:

"Alex... I love you too..." I confessed. I gave him a warm smile, which he mirrored. The two of us cuddled up to each other, eventually drifting off to sleep again. For once in my life, I felt safe. I finally felt happy. I no longer wanted to die. I wanted to live on with Alex. I finally had meaning in my life. I wouldn't die.

_Not this time..._

End of Bonus Chapter


	10. Chapter 8: The Festival

Chapter 8: The Festival

I for once awoke peacefully, and happily at that. It was so peaceful, in fact, that it almost worried me. But I'm getting ahead of myself, so let's back up a bit.

My eyes slowly opened as I awoke, the warm sunlight shining in through the blinds stirring me awake. I rarely ever woke up without an alarm clock to rouse me, so this was a very, VERY welcome change. With a smile on my face, I yawned as I looked at what, or who, was lying next to me.

Natsuki was still asleep, her arms latched around my torso as if I were a large teddy bear. Her face was, as usual, adorable. Her eyes were of course closed, and her mouth was slightly open. I chuckled to myself at her sleeping face, and her lips curled into a relieved smile. Her grip on my torso softly tightened, if that makes any sense.

I wished that I didn't need to wake her, but I knew I had no choice. Reluctantly, I brought my right hand around towards her face. I poked her cheek softly, smiling as I did so.

"Natsuki, it's time to wake up." I roused. Natsuki frowned but didn't seem to be awake yet. Her subconscious was probably trying to keep her asleep. I poked her cheek again, this time a little bit firmer, and repeated my words. This time, Natsuki began to stir.

"Come on..." She muttered. "Five more minutes..."

'_Welp,'_ I thought, '_drastic times call for drastic measures.'_

I leaned in and kissed Natsuki on the lips, and her eyes fluttered open instantly. She looked at me in shock as I pulled back. She was blushing heavily. Her shocked expression eventually transitioned into a warm smile, and she slowly brought her face to mine and kissed me back. I didn't expect this morning to start like this, and that's when it hit me. I pulled away as the thought crossed my mind and put me in panic mode.

"The festival." Was all I said. Natsuki seemed to get my message but didn't look concerned at all.

I turned my body to look at the alarm clock, only to remember that my alarm clock was currently laying on a side table in the living room downstairs. I looked out the window over Natsuki, and it was DEFINITELY past the time we would normally already be at school.

I threw my body around and untangled myself from the blanket encompassing Natsuki and myself. I planted my feet firmly on the floor and attempted to stand up but stumbled back onto the bed as a stinging pain leapt up my body from my right thigh. I winced in pain as Natsuki made her way around me to my side.

"Ah, fuck..." I squeaked out in pain while clutching my thigh. Natsuki looked at me in serious concern, then I remembered about all my injuries.

"I should probably take it easy today, wouldn't you say?" I suggested half-jokingly. "More importantly, what time is it?" Natsuki, now partially content with my well-being, gave me an amused smile.

Natsuki reached over to the bedside table where, as I had just then noticed, my watch was sitting. She held it up by the end of one of the straps and pointed the clockface in my direction, pointing at it smugly with her other hand. I quickly snatched it from her grasp and gave her an amused sideways glance as I strapped it on my wrist.

"Smartass." I commented as Natsuki giggled.

"Dummy." She rebounded. I rolled my eyes as I glanced at my watch.

"8:00?!" I exclaimed. I bolted to get up, but Natsuki held me back.

"Alex, calm down." She ordered. "Today, school isn't until 11:00, then they'll be giving us an hour to prepare for the actual event." I looked at her, dumbfounded, until the information processed. Then, I gave out a long "oooohhhhhh".

"So... what do we do until then?" I asked. Natsuki shrugged.

"I don't know." She said. "But I do know one thing: I'm hungry. Can we get out of bed, now?" We both laughed, then went to get up. Natsuki gave me some extra support on my right arm to help me up and we both faced the door to find Mc standing in the open doorway. We both froze in shock as Mc mirrored our expressions.

"What are you two... why are you two..." He stuttered. "D-did you two have-"

"NO, WE DIDN'T!" Natsuki exclaimed, cutting Mc off. She looked off to the side, ashamed at her sudden outburst. "Alex... heard me crying in my sleep from a nightmare and he... stayed with me the rest of the night to keep me company." After a few seconds with a confused expression, Mc smiled happily at her.

"Well, I'm glad you two are happy together." Mc said. "Anyway, I'm inviting the others over to help with the preparations for the festival. We're all having a shared breakfast, since we don't have to be there until ten. We're going to need the extra manpower since, well..." He gestured to me and my injuries like he was worried he'd offend me.

"I understand." I told him. "Speaking of the festival preparations," I turned to Natsuki, "what are you going to do about the whole 'school uniform' thing?" Natsuki looked worried about that conundrum as soon as I brought it up, but Mc stepped up.

"Actually, we're allowed to wear whatever we want today." He explained. "Since it's a special event, the school is removing the mandatory school uniform guideline for today. We can request a new uniform for tomorrow. And before you ask, yes, we have clothes for you to wear. Tiffany went out earlier this morning to buy you some."

Natsuki didn't say anything for a few seconds. She just stood there and stared at Mc in shock. Suddenly, she bolted forward and threw her arms around him. Her shock was transmitted onto Mc and I both, the two of us shocked at Natsuki's sudden actions. We probably would've stayed in that state of confusion forever if it weren't for the sound of Natsuki's muffled voice as she hugged Mc.

"T-thank y-you." It sounded like she was lightly sobbing. "I-I've never had s-someone care for me l-like this b-before." Not knowing what else to do, Mc lightly placed his hand on the back of Natsuki's head.

"What are friends for?" He reassured.

After a few more seconds of reassurance, Natsuki got a hold of herself and let go of Mc, wiping her tears away as she did. Mc waved to us and turned around, walking out the door. Natsuki walked towards me and motioned to use her for support, but I shook my head.

"I'm not glass, Nat." I joked. "I can walk on my own." Natsuki looked disappointed, but quickly got over it and leaped up, kissing me on the cheek.

"Dummy." She teased. "Anyway, let's get going. I'm starving!" She rushed out of the bedroom and after Mc, leaving me no time to respond. I smiled to myself before following suit, making sure to keep most weight on my left leg.

As I exited into the hall, I heard a door opening off to my right, further down the hallway. I glanced in that direction to find Monika exiting the guest room she was staying in. I almost didn't even recognize her as Monika, as she looked almost nothing like the confident, organized girl I'd come to know.

She was wearing a white tank top with tight blue jeans. While that was different from what she was wearing last night, it wasn't the part that I was focused on. Her hair, which was normally styled into a ponytail by a white ribbon, now flowed freely around her shoulders and down her back. She had a more casual air around her, which made for an interesting comparison to her normal, more serious tone. She yawned heavily as she turned to my direction, then waved as she saw me.

"Morning..." She yawned again, clearly exhausted.

"Good morning, Monika." I greeted. "Are you alright? You didn't stay up late, did you?" Monika stretched as she walked over to me.

"I had to make a quick trip back to my apartment to grab some extra clothes." She explained. "Didn't get back until two in the morning."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you just sleep in what you had?! You could've just gone and grabbed extra clothes in the morning!" Monika gave another hefty yawn, then gave me an annoyed look.

"I'm not going to sleep in an outfit that's covered in blood, you know." She complained. "I'm going to have to get another uniform as well, since that one's ripped." I took a moment to consider her words.

"Good point." I admitted. "Anyway, Mc invited all the others over to help with the festival preparations. He's currently making breakfast for everyone, since we have two hours before we have to leave." Monika nodded in acknowledgement, then breezed past me wordlessly.

It was then that I began to smell something emanating from downstairs. It was DEFINITELY Mc's cooking. At that exact same time, the sound of the front door opening rang out. Multiple voices were heard, and I could easily tell they belonged to Sayori, Yuri, and Shiro. Tiffany's voice quickly joined in, so I promptly made my way downstairs to greet everyone.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was met with a sudden blur of coral pink, and I instantly knew what was coming. Without thinking, I took a quick step back and to the side and dodged Sayori's tackle hug. The next thing I heard was a loud 'THUD' as Sayori's body collided with the floor.

"Sayo!" Tiffany exclaimed from near the front door. I turned back to see her marching towards us with an annoyed expression on her face. At first, I thought it was directed at me, but that belief was quickly declared false when Tiffany breezed straight past me and leaned down in front of Sayori.

"What the..." I muttered under my own breath. To deal with the confusion, I tried my best to analyze everyone as Tiffany helped Sayori up.

Yuri and Sayori were wearing their usual weekend clothes from the game, which made sense. Shiro was wearing a large, white, plain t-shirt with blue jeans and plain white socks. Really basic, just like Mc. Tiffany wore something a bit more interesting. She wore a purple turtleneck sweater with green yoga pants and purple socks. It was a weird combination, but it worked well on her. The details understood, I turned my attention back to the task at hand.

"What were you thinking?" Tiffany asked Sayori. "You know he's injured right now." It took me a second to process what she'd just implied, but when I did, I instantly burst out.

"You told them?!" I complained loudly. Tiffany turned around when she finished helping Sayori up and gave me a solemn smile.

"Moni told them." She admitted. "She and Mc felt like they deserved to know."

I could understand Monika, but why Mc? Then, it hit me. Both Sayori and Yuri had similar issues to Natsuki. All three of them had serious psychological trauma in some capacity, and Monika knew that. Perhaps, by bringing them all together, she thought that maybe they'd all be able to admit these problems to each other.

'_Mc probably learned about Yuri's cutting shortly after they started dating,' _I thought, '_and Sayori could've admitted her depression to him at some time after Thursday.'_

"Alex, are you alright?" Yuri's calm voice jerked me out of my thoughts. "Y-your wounds. Are they...?"

I looked at Yuri, who expressed some concern. Thinking about it now, there was no reason for her to not worry. On paper, my injuries were pretty damn severe. I mean, a moderate cut along the entirety of my forearm? A deep knife wound in my right side? A stab wound from a katana in my right thigh that was stabbed TWICE? Most people wouldn't even be able to SURVIVE those wounds combined. I was lucky to be alive.

"They sound worse than they are." I answered. "What about you?" I knew that I would strike a nerve with that one, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. Yuri looked to the side and blushed a little.

"I-I'm fine." She said. "Mc has been helping me through this quite a lot, actually."

"When did you tell him?" I inquired, trying not to push my luck too far.

"H-he found out yesterday when we were making the decorations." She explained. "Please don't ask me how he found out." I didn't need to ask, because I already knew.

"Alex, can I see?" I heard Sayori ask. I turned around and she was looking at me with the same worried expression Yuri had before. By this point, everyone else (except for Mc, Monika, and Natsuki, who were currently in the kitchen) had gathered around me. Anyone else probably would've called her rude and walked away, but I was hard to offend accidentally. So, I slowly rolled the right sleeve of my hoodie and revealed the first bandaged cut.

It wasn't bad, and you could clearly tell the bleeding had stopped. The only sign that it even existed with the bandage covering it was the presence of a single, thin, blood-soaked line on the bandage that extended the entire length of my forearm. Sayori lightly tapped the wound experimentally, and a minor sharp pain shot out from where she touched. It felt more like getting a papercut, but it was still enough to get me to recoil.

When I recoiled, Sayori meekly retracted her hand.

"Oh, sorry..." She apologized. I saw a look of guilt on her face, so I quickly went to comfort her.

"Hey, it's not too bad." I reassured her. "You just startled me, is all."

We all stood there awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure of what to do next. Thankfully, Natsuki popped out of the kitchen just in time to break the silence.

She was wearing a pink t-shirt, not unlike the one she was wearing the day prior, except that one was white. Along with this, she wore a tan pair of leggings and socks with a striped white-pink design. These were obviously the clothes that Tiffany had bought for her, and I had to admit, they looked pretty good on her.

"Hey, everyone." She greeted. "We're not quite done cooking yet, so just bear with u-" She was suddenly silenced when Yuri quickly strode over, knelt down so her face was parallel with Natsuki's, and planted a hand on her shoulder. Everyone froze in shock, but I had a feeling I was shocked about something different than the others. I was surprised by Yuri's sudden confident movement, while Sayori and Shiro seemed to be surprised by Natsuki herself.

After what felt like forever, Yuri pulled Natsuki into a hug, further surprising everyone. Natsuki seemed to be the most surprised, which was understandable. That confusion, however, was eventually (mostly) dissipated when Yuri spoke, sobbing at the same time.

"M-Monika told us e-everything." She stuttered in between sobs. "I-I am sorry you h-had to deal with h-him..." Natsuki was stunned speechless. I was sure she'd get angry and yell or something, but she just stood there, shocked by Yuri's words and actions. When Yuri realized Natsuki wasn't responding, she quickly let go and cautiously backed away. Natsuki had her eyes closed and had a neutral expression.

"I guess it can't be helped." She said, surprisingly calm. She looked up at everyone, a small smile planted on her face. "It makes sense that Monika would tell you guys. I mean, we ARE friends, aren't we?" No one said anything for a few seconds, then Shiro chimed in and said what everyone (except me) was probably thinking.

"You've sure changed." He joked. Natsuki smiled coyly.

"Well, dating someone like Alex will do that to you." Then everyone froze. Their heads slowly turned towards me, a look of interest on their faces. I was cornered, so there was no use hiding it.

"Yeah, Nat and I are together now." I admitted. I looked to the side and scratched the back of my neck, feeling my cheeks burning. I was a bit surprised by Natsuki's openness about the whole thing, but I was happy the news was finally out so I wouldn't have to explain it by myself.

"When did this start?" Yuri inquired.

"It started when Nat and I were baking cupcakes yesterday." I explained. "However, it wasn't official until last night." I tried to stop myself, but it was too late.

"Wait, so you two-" Sayori sounded slightly less than mortified, so Natsuki quickly cut in.

"No, we didn't!" She exclaimed, then looked a bit ashamed. "I mean... since he kind of saved my life... we felt that would be the best time to... confess to each other." She seemed to be choosing her words carefully. When no one said anything, Yuri chimed in to relieve the tension in the hallway.

"Might I suggest we move the conversation into the living room?" She proposed.

"Good idea." I agreed, and everyone else nodded their heads.

We all began making our way to the living room. On the way past the kitchen, I decided to peek my head inside to see what Mc and Monika were cooking. I almost gasped audibly at the sheer amount of food they were making. There was bacon, pancakes, crepes, breakfast sausages, and even toast just laying on a plate. It seemed like an absurd amount of food for just eight people.

"Why is there so much food?" I asked. "None of us are going to be able to eat all that, you know." Mc turned around from cooking to face me.

"My mom's a doctor, so she taught me a lot of medical stuff growing up." He explained. "Natsuki's going to eat all of this, and then want seconds. Trust me." He smiled, then turned back to cooking. I thought about what he said, and it made sense.

Because of how malnourished Natsuki had been getting over the course of the last nine or ten years, it made sense for her to have a bigger appetite after being given easy access to food. It still amazed me how she was able to survive on nothing but takeout leftovers and the generosity of people. I hoped her father was burning in hell for what he'd done. I was suddenly catapulted out of my thoughts by Natsuki's voice.

"I'm going to go help finish making the food." She told me as she walked by me into the kitchen. "It'll be ready in about ten minutes." I nodded to her then turned back towards the living room. Walking forward, I prepared myself for what would probably be the most awkward conversation I'd ever had.

*Five minutes later*

The conversation started out pretty normal. I told everyone everything that happened last night just in case Monika left out some details, then the conversation somehow got to this point through random topic changes:

"So, what's everyone's favourite anime weapon?" Shiro asked. Everyone, believe it or not, took this question seriously. Everyone went quiet as they thought about it. I was the first to answer.

"Definitely Kirito's double swords." I answered.

"I always liked the mechs from Evangelion." Shiro replied.

"Crescent Moon from RWBY." Tiffany brought in.

"Oh, that's #2 for me." I agreed.

"I haven't watched all that much anime other than the ones Mc has shown me, but I'd say my favourite is Liz and Patty." Sayori said right before making motions of using double guns with her pinky fingers.

"I do believe I have watched even less, but from what little bit I know, I have found myself enjoying the abilities of Gowther. Such interesting mind games!" Yuri calmly decided. With everyone's opinions decided, I thought to ask a similar question:

"What about favourite video game weapons?" I asked. Sayori instantly responded.

"Truth Bullets!" She exclaimed.

"I'm not 100% sure that constitutes as a weapon, but I'll allow it." I told her. "My favourite will always be the Folding Sword from Dishonored."

"I love the Monado." Tiffany cut in.

"The ACT button from Undertale..." Yuri admitted. Everyone was a bit confused by this decision, but Shiro jumped in to out-confuse her.

"The puzzle board from Huniepop!" He declared proudly. All attention on Yuri immediately ceased and was now focused on Shiro.

"That's not even a weapon!" I complained.

"It's a weapon against a woman's heart." Shiro joked, straightening his glasses as he did so.

"Hey, what's Huniepop?" Sayori inquired, sounding extremely curious.

"It's nothing!" Tiffany and I shouted in tandem.

I was worried Sayori wouldn't give up asking, but the day was saved by the arrival of Monika. She strode through the doorway to the kitchen and entered the living room, a warm smile on her face.

"Okay, everyone!" She announced. "Breakfast is ready! We just need your help to carry it in here."

"Okay, thanks Monika." I said as I got up alongside everyone else.

Winding our way around the couch closest to the kitchen, we walked collectively as a group around Monika. While everyone else continued onward, Sayori stopped in front of Monika for a few moments. Then, she tossed her arms around her and pulled her into a hug. I was at the back of the group, so I was the only one who saw it. They began to speak, something along the lines of Sayori being worried about Monika for the events the previous evening, but I didn't want to be rude, so I quickly joined up with the others.

As I entered the kitchen, my senses were overwhelmed with multiple stimulants that combined to bring only one thought to mind: breakfast buffet. The kitchen table and counters were overflowing with plates of delicious-looking breakfast food like bacon, pancakes, waffles, eggs, breakfast sausages, and toast. The smells coming from each dish combined to create a perfect waft of food scents. It almost felt like overkill if it weren't for Natsuki. Speaking of Natsuki...

"It looks so good..." I heard Natsuki say from my right.

I turned towards the source of her voice to find her practically drooling over herself looking at a stack of pancakes. She was leaning on the table with her face uncomfortably close to the food. She had a look of entrancement on her face. I was worried that she would eat them right then and there, so I quickly waltzed over and grabbed her waist, pulling her back. We ended up in a position where she was literally pressed up against me, so when I looked down, I saw her looked right back up and me, the perspective making it seem like her head was upside-down. I smiled, unable to contain myself.

"You've sure outdone yourself today, Nat." I commented. She smiled back up at me proudly.

"What did you expect?" She said. "You're talking to Master Chef Natsuki, here!" She put her hands on her hips enthusiastically. Then, Mc stepped in.

"I literally had to pick you up so you could read some of the labels." He joked. I looked at him, and he was snickering. Natsuki turned her body towards him with a pure red face, embarrassed at him exposing that little detail.

"N-no one asked you!" She stuttered, causing Mc to laugh. I was barely able to stifle my laughs, myself. Mc walked away, aiming to grab food and bring it to the living room for us to eat, and I was once again alone with Natsuki.

It took me a moment to realize, but I just then noticed that everyone else was already gone. They somehow had already grabbed almost all the food and brought it into the living room. It was just Natsuki and I, which I wasn't complaining about.

"So... shouldn't we follow them?" I asked.

"One moment." Natsuki told me. "There's just one thing I want to do first..."

She grabbed the back of my head and forced my head down a bit lower, my face now laying right in front of hers. She then closed her eyes and I did the same, both of us moving our faces closer simultaneously. We kept going. Closer and closer, until our lips touched.

It was only my third time kissing Natsuki, but it still felt amazing. Every neuron in my brain fired off in excitement, and I felt at ease. I slowly opened my eyes to find Natsuki doing the same. Again, I was staring at those beautiful pink globes in a sea of white. Without thinking, I uttered the words:

"I love you, Nat." My face was burning, but I didn't care. It was the same with Natsuki. Her face was pure red, but she showed no indication she noticed. We both eventually smiled at each other, and Natsuki finally responded.

"I love you too, Alex." She threw her arms around me, and I did the same to her. We stayed like that for what was almost a suspicious amount of time, then we slowly let go.

"We should get going. We wouldn't want the others to get suspicious, now would we?" I nudged.

Natsuki nodded confidently with a joyful smile on her face, and she turned to grab the plate of pancakes she was staring at earlier. I reached towards the table and grabbed the last two plates there, one displaying a stack of crepes, and the other with breakfast sausages. With these plates full of delicious food in hand, I followed Natsuki into the living room.

"The hero and the loli return!" Shiro joked as I set the plates on the (oddly large) coffee table. I then spent the next five minutes trying to prevent Natsuki from killing Shiro.

*One and a half hours later*

It was 10:00 by the time we finished eating. Or should I say, it took us until 10:00 to wait for Natsuki to finish eating at least 50% of the food that was prepared. Even from the beginning, it was obvious she would eat more than everyone else. Every time I ate something, Natsuki had eaten at least five of that same thing. Each time any food went down her throat, she threw a replacement into her mouth as quickly as it was gone. It was behaviour I expected more from Sayori than Natsuki, but I could understand why she was eating with such reckless abandon. I don't think I even need to explain why.

Anyway, when all the food was eaten and the dishes were put away, everyone sat back down on the couches. I sat on the couch furthest from the kitchen with Tiffany to my left and Natsuki and Mc to my right. On the couch across from us (from my left to my right) sat Shiro, Monika, Sayori, and Yuri. Monika clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention, then announced:

"Okay, I believe it's time to explain the REAL reason why I invited Sayori, Yuri, and Shiro over." Her voice had a solemn edge to it, like a sad conversation was about to start.

She looked at the aforementioned people to her left and right, then they nodded in unison. Tiffany, Natsuki, and Mc looked confused, but I had a good idea of what was about to be discussed. I was proven correct in my assumptions when Yuri lightly gripped the end of her right sleeve and began to slowly roll them up. When the scars on her arm were revealed by the absence of cloth, everyone on my couch gasped. The scars didn't look as bad as they used to, but they were still prominent. When no one commented, Yuri began to speak:

"Natsuki... you are not the only one suffering, here." She gave her a small smile of reassurance. "My scars may not be the same as yours, but please... consider this as a reminder that we are all in this together." Then she turned to Sayori. "Sayori? It is your turn." Sayori gave her a small nod of confidence, then turned back to us.

"My pain isn't exactly something I can show you myself, so I asked Monika to try to find something for me. Monika, could I have the thing we talked about?" Monika nodded to Sayori before reaching into her purse and retrieving something that even made me gasp.

Out from her purse, Monika produced a two-foot long length of rope with a loop tied at the end: a noose. The very same noose that I pulled out of Sayori's desk drawer and threw out four days prior. A million questions were floating through my head at that time, but I chose to not relay any of them. This wasn't about me, it was about Natsuki. Monika held the noose out to Sayori, and Sayori took it.

"For my entire life," Sayori explained, "I've had this really bad depression. Yesterday, I would've used this noose to kill myself if it wasn't for Moni's help." She looked at Natsuki with a desperate smile. "Just like Yuri said, you're not the only one with scars." She slowly handed the noose back to Monika, who calmly took it and placed it back in her purse.

I was stunned. Sayori and Yuri, who had previously kept their secrets so tightly inside, were now exposing their past scars to help Natsuki feel better. I found myself crying as I looked around at everyone. They were crying along with me. Tiffany, Natsuki, Mc, Sayori, Monika, Yuri, and I could even spot tears flowing down from behind Shiro's glasses.

No one said anything for a while. Everything was silent except for the barely audible sound of a few tears hitting the wooden floor. My head was faced slightly downward towards the floor, so the sudden sound of Natsuki's voice lightly startled me.

"T-thank you..." She spoke softly. "I-it's been so l-long since I've f-felt like this." I glanced to my right to witness Natsuki letting loose tears of joy. "T-ten years..." She looked up at everyone and smiled. "After ten years, I finally have people I can call my family."

Surprisingly, no one gasped or showed any signs that they were surprised. In fact, their expressions got brighter. Monika looked the happiest of all, and I don't think I need to explain why. In response to her proclamation, I brought my right arm around Natsuki's shoulders and lightly squeezed, giving her a one-armed hug. She instantly pressed up against me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Shiro, wasn't there something you wanted to say?" Monika asked. All eyes snapped to Shiro, who looked like a combination of excited and uncomfortable, if that was even possible. He was normally really upbeat, so it was strange to see him like this. He twiddled his thumbs a bit before responding.

"So, Natsuki, you know how Monika told us about everything that happened?" He inquired nervously.

"Yeah, what about it?" Natsuki answered confusedly. Shiro was obviously anxious, but he hid it behind a look of thought. He was clearly thinking hard about what he was about to say.

"Well," he continued at last, "I'm sorry if this sounds a bit insensitive, but was there anyone who took pity on you in some way?" His question seemed to be a bit out of the blue, but that was understandable given the circumstances. Natsuki thought for a bit before answering.

"T-there were two, actually." She admitted. "I-I've already told everyone about the teacher that fed me, b-but there was one more. O-one of my f-father's co-workers had a son who would spend time with me when he was there. I-I don't remember his name or what he looked like. W-why do you ask?" A wide smile crawled its way across Shiro's mouth, giving off a sense of confidence. He slowly stood up and sauntered over to Natsuki and thrust out a hand in a greeting. Everyone was confused, then he said something:

"Hello there, Natsuki." He greeted in a child-like voice. "My name's Shiro." My confusion didn't waver, but a look of familiarity and amazement crossed Natsuki's face.

She looked like she'd just remembered something big. Suddenly, she sprang up and threw her arms around Shiro in an overly friendly gesture. They both started to laugh like friends that hadn't seen each other in a long time, then I began to put the pieces together. After about two seconds of thinking, I figured it out.

"Wait... Shiro, you were childhood friends with Nat?!" I asked incredulously. Shiro turned to me to respond.

"Back in Tokyo, my dad was a businessman who worked with Nat's father." He explained. "Whenever they had a meeting at his house, Nat and I would spend time with each other." They gave everyone a moment to process this information, then Monika suddenly stood up. Natsuki and Shiro let go of each other and looked at her. She was looking at her phone with a slightly panicked expression.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion," she said, "but we have to go. School starts in half an hour." I checked my watch, and she was right. It was already 10:30. I went to get up, then felt another jolt of pain shoot up my right thigh. I again stumbled back onto the couch and clutched my thigh in pain.

"Alex!" Natsuki exclaimed. She rushed to my side, but I held up a hand in an 'I'm okay' gesture.

"I'm fine, Nat." I reassured her. "I just put a little too much weight on it."

With this in mind, I slowly pushed myself to my feet again, making sure to put most of my weight on my left leg. After a bit of reassurance to Natsuki that I was, in fact, fine, she finally let the topic go.

"Okay, everyone!" Monika announced. "The cupcakes and decorations are next to the front door. Everyone will be carrying something." She looked at me. "Well, everyone except Alex. Him carrying something isn't the best idea with his injuries." I felt a little annoyed, given what I'd just said to Natsuki, but I understood that I had my limits. With those injuries, I wouldn't be of much help. Everyone nodded in agreement, and we made our way to the front door.

*Five minutes later*

Even with seven able-bodied people carrying everything, they were still all just barely able to bring it all. Natsuki and Sayori each carried three tupperware containers of cupcakes, Tiffany carried five, Monika, Mc, and Yuri carried various decorations like banners or props, and Shiro was carrying eleven of what looked like glass plates, only they were mounted on a single small 'leg' in the center of the plate and were allowed to spin freely. I was told they were for the cupcakes, but for a literature club event, they seemed a bit excessive. Either way, it was still impressive how he was able to balance them all on top of each other.

Something I noticed as we walked down the street was that there seemed to be more people than normal. Curious, I asked Natsuki if she noticed.

"Some of the students' parents will be attending the school festival." She explained without turning her head. "Believe it or not, the school festivals are a big event in this town. A lot of the students are really skilled in one way or another, and the school festival gives them the opportunity to use those skills on their booths."

"Oh, so we might see some of the other club members' parents, right?" I asked. Natsuki didn't respond, so I turned to look at her.

She was staring straight ahead, definitely lost in thought. I was worried that I might have said something wrong, but then I followed her gaze to see that she was staring directly at Shiro. Remembering what happened earlier, I waved my hand in front of her face to get her attention.

"What is it?" She sounded slightly annoyed.

"I know what you're thinking about, Nat." I told her. "Why don't you talk to him? Maybe catch up a little?" Natsuki pondered this for a bit, then turned to me with a concerned expression.

"I don't want to just leave you behind with your injuries." She reasoned. I laughed.

"Nat, I'm not going to just fall over randomly." I reassured her. "I'll be fine. I promise." Natsuki kept the concerned look on her face for a few more seconds while she thought about what I said, then gave me a reassured smile.

"Okay, but I'm not picking you up if you DO fall over!" She joked. She ran up ahead to meet up with Shiro, and they instantly began talking.

While I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, I could easily pick up the mood of the conversation. It started out normal, but quickly escalated to excitement from both sides. Their speech was enthusiastic and friendly, and it was obvious they were close friends already. Well, they were technically ALWAYS close friends, but you know what I mean.

My attention was eventually diverted from their conversation by Monika and Tiffany lagging behind to meet up with me. When they were both right next to me, they matched my pace all while carrying a ton of stuff.

"I can't believe Natsu's okay after what happened last night..." Tiffany lamented. I looked at her with a smile.

"It's all because of what happened last night that she's okay." I responded. "Thanks to our little rescue mission, she's finally free from her father's abuse." I felt a tear rolling down my cheek, so I brought my right hand up to wipe it away. After looking to my left and right, I discovered that Monika and Tiffany were also weeping tears of happiness.

"It's finally over..." Monika stated happily.

"Yeah, it is." Tiffany agreed.

Those words... 'it's finally over'... they didn't mean what Tiffany thought they meant. Monika had watched her friends die over and over again. Almost all the time, it was caused by suicide. The loop that she was trapped in was finally closed, and she could move on with her life.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a ringing sound coming from Monika's purse.

"Dang it." She muttered. "Sorry to dump this on you Tiff, but could you take these for a moment?" She held out the decorations she was holding (which was just a container of various craft materials) and Tiffany readily took it, balancing it on her stack of cupcakes.

"Don't even worry about it, Moni." Tiffany reassured. "Just leave it to me!" Monika gave her a laugh and a smile, then pulled her phone out of her purse. However, as she brought it to her ear and answered the call, she suddenly yelped and dropped the phone on the ground. Concerned, the others ahead of us stopped and came back.

"What happened, Moni?!" Sayori exclaimed. Monika had a shaken expression on her face.

As the others tried to comfort her and get her to explain, I reached down and grabbed the phone. Out of curiosity, I brought it to my ear and heard a voice I was all too familiar with.

"Come on, bitch!" The voice of Chad yelled. "You know you want me..."

Chad probably still thought that Monika was holding the phone, and not me. Either way, I was fuming. He constantly bullied the other members of the literature club, and here he was, trying to take advantage of Monika. I wasn't going to stand for it. My anger barely contained, I began to speak.

"You never seem to learn, do you Chad?" I said through gritted teeth, causing Chad to yelp. "Listen up here, you goddamn shitstain. I'd better not find you talking to Monika like that again, or we're going to have a problem. Now, stay the fuck away from my friends." I hung up, not giving him a chance to respond.

"T-thanks, Alex." Monika said from my right. I looked at her and handed her back the phone. She graciously took it, and Sayori came up to us.

"Moni, are you okay?" She asked. Monika nodded to her confidently, but there was still a hint of uncertainty in her expression.

"I'm fine, Bun." She answered.

'_Ah, I see we're going with the Summer Hope nicknames.'_ I smiled internally. Sayori didn't look too convinced.

"Really? Then what happened?" She inquired. Monika looked uncomfortable, so I stepped in to answer for her.

"Chad happened." I explained. "He was just harassing her again." Sayori still seemed a little suspicious but decided to let the topic go.

"Okay, then." She reluctantly said. "Anyway, let's get going! A club shouldn't be late for their own event!" She took off ahead of us as we redistributed our loads, then we rushed after her to catch up.

*Thirty minutes later*

We eventually caught up to Sayori at the gates to the school, and she was just outside the school property. She gave us a wide smile as we approached, which Monika returned. I found myself smiling as well, which held up as we walked closer.

"You guys are too slow!" Sayori playfully told us as she rejoined our group.

"You are literally carrying three things." I pointed out. "That's pretty much a given." That earned me a laugh from everyone, but something seemed off.

In the sea of laughs, I heard one that sounded like a middle-aged man. Looking around, I saw someone walking up to us from behind. They were male and looked to be around forty years old. They were pretty basic-looking, almost like Mc. Same skin tone, hair colour and style, and they even had the same eye colour. The only difference between them was that the man had some wrinkles on his face from age. I was a bit confused as to who this person was, but that was quickly cleared up when Mc saw him.

"Hey, dad!" He greeted the man, slightly surprising me. Everyone else turned around and stared at the man in confusion. I took the time that it was taking for him to walk over to take note of his interesting wardrobe setup.

He was wearing a full police uniform. Nothing else needs to be said. It was a complete uniform with the bullet-proof vest, the walkie talkie on his chest, and even a taser holstered in a utility belt. The process that my mind went through when I saw this was from '_this guy is a policeman'_ to '_Mc's dad is a policeman?!'_

"Hey, son!" He greeted Mc, then looked to me. "Ah, Alex. It's been quite a while." He extended a hand, and I shook it cautiously. Just like Mc and Sayori, his memory must've been altered by Monika.

"Yeah, it sure has." I responded. "I barely remember you." It probably would've come off as rude to say that, but I didn't care. If I played my cards right, I'd learn his name without seeming suspicious. Luckily, his response explained just that.

"Well, seeing as it's been so long, I may as well give you a refresher." He cleared his throat, then said confidently: "The name's Keisatsu Sabishi, and I'm Mc's father. You can call me Keisatsu, or maybe Police Chief Keisatsu, if we want to be formal."

_Name: Keisatsu Sabishi_

_Gender: Male_

_Age: 43_

_Height: 5'5"_

"Police Chief?!" I asked incredulously. Keisatsu laughed.

"Yup, Police Chief." He confirmed. "How do you think Mc has all that money?" I looked at Mc, who seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"Dad," he muttered, "I'd rather not..." Keisatsu looked a bit surprised, then his expression softened.

"Sorry about that, son." He apologized. "Anyway, I see you've found yourself a club! Why don't you introduce me?" He sounded proud of him, like this was some sort of really big achievement. With that situation through, Mc began to introduce everyone.

It started with Yuri, whom introduced herself as Mc's girlfriend. She was surprisingly confident while saying it, and the news seemed to make Keisatsu happy. Sayori dragged Monika over and introduced her as her girlfriend, which Keisatsu was happy to hear. Next came Tiffany and Shiro, who introduced themselves. Keisatsu was happy to meet two people from out of town, but then came Natsuki.

I was the one who brought Natsuki over, as she was a bit hesitant around Keisatsu, probably due to what happened the night before. When Natsuki introduced herself (nervously, I might add), Keisatsu smiled, but had a hint of... something behind his eyes. I couldn't read him as well as the others, but I could tell he was thinking of something. Just when I thought he'd never move, he finally spoke:

"Could I speak to you, Mc, and Alex in private for a moment?" He asked her. "You're not in trouble, I promise." Despite that second sentence, I was still a bit skeptical. Looking at Mc and Natsuki, it was clear they felt the same.

Reluctantly, Mc and Natsuki gave what they were carrying to Yuri and Sayori respectively, then Keisatsu lead us to an empty part of the school property while the others went on ahead. When we stopped, Keisatsu turned around and looked at Natsuki gravely.

"Mc told me what happened." He admitted, causing Mc to look guilty. "I have no trouble with the events of last night, as it was for the greater good. Due to legal reasons, however, you cannot legally live on your own without a parent or guardian. Because of this, the government is allowing Mc's mother and I to take you under our care." Natsuki looked confused.

"You mean... like adoption?" She asked. Keisatsu nodded.

"Welcome to the family, Natsuki." He confirmed. "We still don't have all the paperwork done, but it might as well be official right now."

I was speechless. While I never saw them in any mods or anything, Mc's parents never really had any effect in the stories of those mods. However, that speechlessness ended as soon as a worrying thought came to mind.

"Keisatsu, you said Mc told you everything that happened, right?" I asked hesitantly. Keisatsu looked at me in confusion.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Well..." I was sweating profusely. "Does that mean you know what happened to Hiran?" Keisatsu looked puzzled at this question, but then remembered his occupation. He laughed.

"Oh, don't worry about that." He said as he stood up. "Even if I'm the Police Chief, I still hold morals above the law. Speaking of the law, Natsuki is set to inherit all her father's belongings. Before that, however, I'm having the boys conduct a search of his house, just in case." I breathed a sigh of relief. Natsuki, however, didn't look too happy.

"Don't." She told him. Keisatsu gave her a confused look.

"What do you mean, don't?" He asked.

"I don't want to inherit anything he owned." She stated. "It was all alcohol and takeout leftovers, anyway." Keisatsu gave her a warm smile and nodded.

"Very well." He then turned to me and spoke in a serious voice. "One last thing. Alex, to make sure the scene hasn't been tampered with by some third party, could you tell me exactly how you left it?" The question seemed a bit out of the blue, but I understood why he asked it. Thinking back, I did my best to recreate the scene in my mind.

"Hiran's body should be in the main hallway next to the living room doorway." I recounted. "There should be a sword in his chest, and another sword somewhere nearby. The hilts should be plated silver and gold, respectively." As I spoke, Keisatsu was writing down everything I said on a notepad. When I stopped, he looked back up at me.

"Anything else?" He ushered. "Maybe some details related to other rooms in the house?"

"Well... there should be two shattered display cases in the hallway with the body." I explained. "In the kitchen, there should maybe be some evidence of a fight, since that's where my fight with Hiran started. Other than that, the only thing I can think of is some puke in Natsuki's old bedroom upstairs." Keisatsu took a few moments to finish writing what I said, then flipped the notepad closed and deposited it into a pocket in his police uniform.

"Thanks." He smiled. "Now, go along. Wouldn't want you to be late for your own club event!" He bade us farewell, and we began to make our way inside.

*Ten minutes later*

The halls of the school were surprisingly not as packed as I thought they'd be. Sure, there were more people there than there would normally be, but it wasn't to the point where we were constantly pushing through a crowd. It took a while, but we eventually found ourselves standing in front of the clubroom doors. With a deep breath to calm the nerves, I opened the doors and entered.

As soon as I entered, I could just tell something was off. I didn't even need to look far to figure out what it was. For some reason, there was an extra person in the room.

Yuri, Monika, and Tiffany were setting up decorations along the walls of the room like streamers and banners while Sayori and Shiro worked at the back of the classroom, setting up the cupcakes on the spinning glass plates. However, Sayori and Shiro had an extra person with them. They were facing away from me, so I couldn't see their face. They were a bit tall and thin, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans. He stood right next to Shiro. Confused, I strode up to them.

"Um... hello?" I greeted. The person turned around along with Shiro and Sayori.

They looked to be around forty to forty-five years old, their face showing clear wrinkles from age. They had black hair and a small moustache. They also wore a pair of very thick glasses, similar to Shiro's. Because of what Natsuki told me earlier that day, I had a good idea of who this was. The stranger enthusiastically extended a hand and gave me a warm smile.

"Hey, there!" He greeted. "The name's Kuro. I'm Shiro's dad. You must be Alex!"

_Name: Kuro Shiroi_

_Gender: Male_

_Age: 45_

_Height: 5'4"_

I shook his hand cautiously. His age and face combined with his overly happy demeanor caught me off-guard. Ignoring my own confusion, I spoke:

"Yup, I'm Alex." I confirmed. "So, not to be rude, but what are you doing here?" Kuro gave me a confident smile similar to Shiro's.

"I came here to help out with your club preparations." He explained. "Since you've been so nice to my boy, Shiro, I thought I'd return the gesture!" Suddenly, his expression changed, and he looked past me. "Wait a minute. You look familiar..." I followed his gaze to Natsuki, who seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"H-hello, Kuro." She greeted shakily. "My name is Natsuki K-Kurushimi. I'm the d-daughter of one of your old b-business partners."

I noticed that she was only mainly stumbling over her words whenever she said something relating to her father, which was understandable. I looked back at Kuro, who now had an excited smile on his face.

"Well, I'll be!" He sauntered over to Natsuki with a hand outstretched. "You're Hiran's little girl! Tell me, how's he been doing this past decade?"

Before I knew it, I had already stepped in between Kuro and Natsuki. He was taller than me by about an inch, but it was still enough to entirely block his view of Natsuki.

"He's dead." I stated. Kuro gave me a look of shock.

"W-what?" He sounded like he couldn't believe it. "H-how could he have died? He was only forty-six!" I was a bit surprised by the fact that he didn't know this, but that didn't faze me. Judging by his speech, it was pretty clear he didn't know the kind of person Hiran really was. Either way, I was about to destroy his entire perspective of Hiran.

"I killed him after he tried to rape Natsuki." I explained through gritted teeth. "This was after ten years of physical, mental, and emotional abuse, along with five years of sexual abuse." After ten seconds of shock, Kuro swallowed shakily and responded:

"I... I'm sorry." He apologized. "I-I didn't know he was that kind of person. I... I think I'll go now..." He slowly turned and walked out of the clubroom, his head hanging low in defeat. As I watched him leave, I thought that maybe I'd given him the news a bit too quickly. However, I didn't have much time to think as I felt Shiro's hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, man." He said. "My dad has tough skin. He'll get over it quickly." However, he didn't sound very confident. Then, I remembered Natsuki. I quickly turned over to her.

She had a couple of tears in her eyes, and those eyes looked a bit scared. Extremely worried, I put my hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked softly. Natsuki looked up at me for a few seconds with empty eyes. She seemed to realize my worry, then promptly wiped away her tears and smiled at me.

"I'm fine." She answered. "Now let's get the cupcakes set up!" She looked like she was trying her best to be enthusiastic.

'_After the events of last night, her mental state is pretty fragile.'_ I thought. '_She must be trying to keep her mind off her father...'_ I smiled back at her, and we quickly got to setting everything up. Shiro, Sayori, and Mc went to help Monika and Tiffany with the decorations, while Natsuki and I got to the cupcakes.

*Thirty minutes later*

"And... that should be the last of them." I said as I placed the final cupcake. Natsuki and I took a step back to admire our work, and I must say, it looked pretty good.

The spinning plates were lined up evenly along a row of desks at the back of the room, extending the entire way from the wall to the side of the closet entrance. As I gazed across the table, I think I began to understand why Natsuki loved baking so much. Each cupcake (except for the plain ones with no icing) was completely different, having different designs of icing that made each one unique.

"Thanks for everything, Alex." I heard Natsuki say from my right. I chuckled.

"I mean, I don't deserve ALL the credit. You're the one who-" I was silenced by the feeling of Natsuki pecking her lips on my cheek. I felt my face heat up as my head snapped to the right at Natsuki, who was also blushing. We both lightly laughed.

"Wow, those look delicious!" Tiffany commented as she came up behind us. "You two really outdid yourselves!"

"No eating any!" Natsuki ordered playfully. Tiffany giggled.

"You should be telling that to Sayo, not me." She joked. We all laughed, then stopped as we suddenly heard a knock from the clubroom door.

"H-hello?" A soft voice cautiously greeted. We all looked to the door to find a girl standing in the doorway.

She had blonde hair that reached her neck. She wore magenta-rimmed glasses with silver rhinestones dotted along the entire rim. She was wearing a purple turtleneck sweater with blue leggings and black running shoes. Her face was pretty, but in a 'shy bookworm' kind of way, similar to Yuri. Another thing was that she was quite short. Not as short as Natsuki, mind you, but pretty close. She couldn't have been older than sixteen.

Monika was the first to move and strode over to the girl, giving her a warm smile when she stopped in front of her.

"Hello there. I'm Monika, the president of the Literature Club. What's your name?" She greeted. The girl shifted uncomfortably in her shoes, then eventually responded:

"My name is Iine." She introduced herself. "I was wondering if you knew where the main office is?"

_Name: Iine %&$(^#(_

_Gender: Female_

_Age: 16_

_Height: 5'_

Monika smiled sweetly at her, then began giving her directions. I studied this girl a bit more, and something about her seemed familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Eventually, I just gave up and told myself I was being crazy.

"...and that's how you get to the office. Will you be okay, now?" Monika finished speaking to Iine. Iine thought for a few moments, then nodded confidently.

"Okay, I think I got it. Thanks!" She thanked Monika.

"You're welcome." Monika rebounded. Iine turned to leave, but then suddenly stopped as she noticed us looking at her.

She wasn't just looking at everyone randomly. She was specifically looking at Tiffany and I. After way too much uncomfortable staring, she turned back to Monika.

"Hey, could I come in?" She asked.

"I don't see why not." Monika answered. Iine quickly thanked her and rushed over to us excitedly.

"Hey, you're from another country, right?" She asked me.

"Uh, yeah." I responded confusedly. "I'm from Ontario, Canada. Why do you ask?" Iine didn't respond, and merely turned to Tiffany.

"Same with you, right?" Tiffany looked a bit uncomfortable with the question, but answered nonetheless.

"Yes." She answered. "I'm from Manhattan, in the U.S." Iine was practically bouncing off the walls in excitement, but Tiffany and I couldn't see why. We looked at each other and shrugged, confused by Iine's strange excitement.

"Um, why do you ask?" I inquired, trying to get the conversation along. Iine was smiling unnecessarily wide, but she was at least calm enough to respond.

"I'm a big fan of other ethnicities' beliefs and societies." She answered, still excited. "Ever since I was a little girl, I was always so fascinated by how people in different parts of the world have such different beliefs."

I could honestly relate. For a long time, I'd always been interested in the beliefs and customs of Japan. I found it so interesting how they were one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, and yet they'd somehow not let go of their old beliefs.

"You know, I haven't seen you here until now." Tiffany brought up. "Are you visiting for the festival?" Iine nodded her head.

"But that's not important right now." She claimed. "Is it okay if I ask you two a few questions?" She took out a notepad and pen, then looked up at us with a curious expression. It was almost funny to see this girl who looked so shy just holding a notepad like she was an interviewer. Tiffany and I looked at each other, then nodded.

"Sure, why not." I answered, and Iine began to ask us a torrent of questions.

*Twenty minutes later*

I quickly regretted that decision. Iine asked us question after question, not letting up for even a second. It was difficult to keep up with her, and I quickly found myself exhausted just from talking to her. I'm not saying she was annoying or anything, she was just a bit too excitable.

"Okay, that was the last question." She said at last. "Thanks for your attention!" She put the notepad and pen away, then turned to leave. However, before she could even move towards it, a large man walked into view through the doorway.

He was buff. Like, muscles the size of my head, buff. He had blonde hair that was tied back in a "biker" kind of style and his face sported a handlebar moustache. Speaking of his face, it was rugged, and he had a strong jaw, further cementing the "biker" aesthetic. He wore a camo sleeveless shirt with blue jeans and black combat boots. Also, he was tall. Like, unrealistically tall for someone from Japan. He basically looked like a biker in the army.

He had a serious look on his face as he scanned the clubroom. Then, when his gaze focused on Iine, it instantly changed into a cheery smile, and his demeanor changed with it.

"Iine, there you are!" He announced happily as he strode towards Iine. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" There wasn't any anger or annoyance in his voice, which suggested he was saying this to Iine without worry. Even so, Iine still hung her head a bit low.

"Sorry, dad." She apologized. "I won't do it again." The man laughed wholeheartedly.

"Oh, you say that every time!" He announced. "More importantly, why are you here, of all places?" I was getting a bit impatient, so I chose to cut in.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" I asked, trying not to be rude. While this guy seemed cheery, it was pretty damn obvious he could easily snap my spine in two. Knowing this, I thought it best to be cautious.

The man sized me up, then glanced around to find seven other people staring at him. His expression implied that he somehow didn't notice everyone else in the room until now, which was an incredible display of being inobservant.

"Oh, I apologize for my intrusion." He apologized. "It's just that I've been searching for my daughter for the past twenty minutes, and I didn't expect to find her in a random clubroom." I opened my mouth to say that didn't answer my question, but Monika interjected.

"Don't worry about it, sir." She reassured him as she walked up. "Your daughter just came in here looking for the main office, and she got caught up talking with two of my club members."

"Let me guess... she was talking with those two?" He inquired, pointing at Tiffany and me. Before Monika could respond, Natsuki pushed past me and pointed a finger at the man.

"What's wrong with that, buddy?" She accused him. "Is there something wrong with your daughter talking to people not from Japan?"

For about ten seconds after that, nothing happened. Everyone was staring at Natsuki like 'are you TRYING to get yourself killed?', but the man had only a shocked expression on his face. After the ten seconds were up, he burst out laughing.

"Um... what's going on?" Mc asked from the corner of the room. I would've responded by telling him the same thing, if it weren't for the man's sudden cease of laughter.

"Well, aren't you a little fireball!" He joked. "I have nothing against foreigners. I just knew that my daughter wouldn't pass up an opportunity to talk to one."

"Okay, so now that we've gotten that out of the way," I started, getting impatient, "could you maybe tell us who you are?" I'll admit, I was a bit rude, but I was getting worried we wouldn't get all the decorations up in time for the event.

"Very well." The man said. "But you'll have to tell me your names after. The name's Heishi, and I'm Iine's father."

_Name: Heishi %&$(^#(_

_Gender: Male_

_Age: 50_

_Height: 6'_

After that, we all introduced ourselves to him. All throughout the introductions, there was something about him that confused me. He referred to Tiffany and I as 'foreigners', and while that meant he was clearly Japanese, he didn't look like it. If anything, he looked like he was from the U.S. Even his accent didn't match up. Because of this, when the introductions were over, I decided to ask him:

"So, not to be rude, but are you even Japanese?" I inquired. Heishi gave me a weird look, trying to process the question.

"Ah, you're confused because of my accent, right?" He asked.

"Well, that isn't all of it." I admitted. "But yeah, that's one of the them." Heishi chuckled at my confusion.

"The short answer to that question would be yes, I am Japanese." He answered. "However, the long answer to that question would be that I moved to the U.S. for thirty years, where I joined the military. That's why my accent doesn't sound right."

"But why would you do that?" I asked. "Why join the U.S. military specifically?" Heishi gave me a smirk.

"What? Did you expect me to be discriminatory?" He asked, seeming a bit more serious. That seriousness concerned me, so I quickly tried to explain.

"N-no, actually." I stuttered. "I mean, it's a pretty strange decision to move to another country that used to be enemies with your country, and even join the military there." I mentally kicked myself, realizing that reasoning could imply I actually DID believe he was racist. However, Heishi merely laughed.

"I was just pulling your leg!" He announced. "The reason why I joined the military isn't all that interesting, anyway. I moved to the U.S. when I turned 18 to find a better life, but I ended up joining the military because I couldn't find a stable job. Now, I would love to continue this conversation, but Iine and I have to leave. Nice talking to you!" He waved at us as he turned to leave, Iine following close behind him.

However, before he could leave, he suddenly stopped short, his body language suggesting he was surprised.

"And just WHAT are you doing here, Heishi?!" A female voice called from the doorway. "Here, let me see!"

Heishi was pushed aside, along with Iine, and a woman came into view. She had long, blonde hair and a face that made her look young, but the wrinkles on her face made it obvious she was MUCH older. Like, around 50. She had a weird sort of 'witch' look to her, with black lipstick and a black robe that went all the way down her body. Judging by her tone from before, I instantly knew I wouldn't like this lady.

She looked around the room, her gaze slowly panning across every square inch of the place. Her face implied she was constantly judging everything she saw. Heishi and Iine watched her with a worried look on their faces, like they were worried about what she'd do. After an uncomfortable amount of time, her view locked onto the cupcakes Natsuki and I set up earlier and began to waltz towards them.

When she was halfway to the cupcakes, Natsuki stepped in front of her with an annoyed expression on her face. The woman looked down on her, not only physically, but probably mentally as well, judging by her expression.

"I'm sorry, but the cupcakes are reserved for the students who attend our event." She said to the woman, trying her best to contain her annoyance.

The woman, who up until this point had been quite calm and collected, looked at Natsuki with a disgusted frown.

"Don't you talk to me like that, child!" Suddenly, like lightning, her arm rose up and she backhanded Natsuki, using enough force to get her airborne before falling to the ground a meter away.

"Natsu!" Tiffany yelled as she ran over to help Natsuki. My gaze locked onto the woman, who still had a distasteful frown on her face.

My vision went red and, making sure not to hurt my injured leg, I rushed over to the woman and took Natsuki's spot. Then, even faster than she had hit Natsuki, I reared my arm back and thrust it forward, punching her across the face. I used my right arm, even though it was cut from my fight with Hiran. However, it was still enough force to make her stagger back.

"Why, you little..." The woman muttered. "Eskimo, do you have any idea who I am?!"

"Yeah." I answered. "A racist fucker who just hit my goddamn girlfriend!" Suddenly, I heard a laugh from the doorway. I turned my head to see, and low and behold, it was Okane. Laughing like a dick.

"Really? You're in a relationship with that creature?!" He mocked. "And I thought you couldn't go any lower!" I was getting a really strong urge to throttle him right then and there.

"Okane, dear." The woman said to Okane, suddenly calm. "You must use more creating language when regarding these freaks." The woman walked over to Okane, then stood next to him, facing Heishi.

"Honey, you KNOW what Okane told us about these things!" She scolded him, then turned to Iine. "And you are a disappointment. Spending time with these people, you are no daughter of mine!" Suddenly, something clicked in my mind.

"Wait... Dear? Honey? Daughter?" I asked. "Don't tell me..."

"Eskimo, what were you doing, talking to my sister?" Okane yelled at me. Iine looked uncomfortable and ashamed, and Heishi looked ashamed.

"Yes, Alex," he said, dejected, "this is my wife, Majo, and my son, Okane."

_Name: Majo Burondo_

_Gender: Female_

_Age: 48_

_Height: 5'5"_

I was stunned. Iine was Okane's sister? How was that possible? Before I could say anything, however, Tiffany came over along with Natsuki.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Tiffany yelled, full of rage. "Why would you just hit Natsuki like that?!"

Majo didn't respond, and merely stared at Tiffany with a bored expression.

"Come, family." Majo said as she turned around. "There is no point in being near these stains. Let us leave."

She left the room along with Okane, and Heishi and Iine followed soon after with apologetic expressions on their faces. I was so confused about how they just up and left in the middle of this. Tiffany and Natsuki, on the other hand, were still fuming. Monika came over to calm them down, and Yuri came over to me.

"Whatever happened to 'you two should learn to respect women'?" She joked. I remembered when I first met her personally, as that was what I had said to Okane and Chad when they were bullying her in the hallway.

"I am a man of true gender equality." I responded in my best 'fancy' accent I could do. "I am not afraid to dropkick a lady, if it means I will protect those I cherish." Yuri giggled, and I heard a snicker from behind me. I turned around to see Natsuki snickering, with Tiffany and Monika suppressing their giggles.

The mood of the clubroom quickly regained light, and our preparations continued. Now that the cupcakes were done, all that we had to do was finish up Yuri's decorations.

*Ten minutes later*

"Okay, everyone!" Monika announced from the front of the clubroom as we finished putting up the decorations. "Now that everything is ready, we have thirty minutes left until out poetry performance. Now, would anyone like to get in some last-minute practice?"

Surprisingly, everyone nodded their head except for me. Mc, Yuri, Sayori, and even Natsuki agreed. Monika looked at everyone, smiling, until her gaze hit me.

"Alex, are you not going to practice?" She asked confusedly. I shook my head confidently.

"Nope, I want to save my poem for the event." I answered. Monika looked at me for a few seconds, then smiled cheerfully.

"Very well, then." She agreed. "Now, who wants to come up and practice first?"

*Thirty minutes later*

The poetry reciting took only fifteen minutes, which was good, because as soon as the last club member came down from the podium, the first person entered the clubroom for the event. Monika greeted them, Natsuki offered them a cupcake, and Sayori sat them down at a desk. They were surprisingly coordinated with their planning, which made me happy to see.

After another fifteen minutes, the desks were full up (except for the six assigned to the main club members), and the poetry performance began. I sat down and looked up at the podium as Monika walked up. When she reached the podium, she calmly referred to the audience and began to speak:

"Hello, everyone." She greeted. "My name is Monika Kontororu, and I'm the president of the literature club. I won't take up more of your time than I need to, and you all already know what you're here for, so I'll do my best to get this along. I will be the first to recite my poem, and I hope this event entices some of you in some way to join our club."

Monika then pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, obviously her poem, and began to recite it to the group.

*Ten minutes later*

Everyone clapped as Natsuki's poem finished, including me for obvious reasons. Monika, Sayori, Mc, Yuri, and Natsuki had all just finished reading their poems, and now it was my turn.

"And now, our final poem." Monika announced from the podium. "Now, before this final poem performance, I'd like to take a moment to tell you something about this next person. His name is Alex, and he's from Canada. Even though he's only been at this school for a week, he's already proved himself in multiple ways, and you've probably heard of some of his feats. Most notably, he fought Chad and Okane on multiple occasions, and won."

Muttering could be heard from throughout the small crowd, and judging by the tone, they knew exactly what she was talking about.

"However," Monika continued, "there's something that he did recently that truly proves himself. Last night, he saved Natsuki's life from peril. Without giving too much away, he took multiple injuries to protect and save Natsuki from the brink of death, and because of that, he's currently suffering from a couple stab wounds. However, despite that, he's still chosen to be here to recite his poem for you all, and honestly, he's done more for the club than anyone else. So, without further ado, come on up, Alex."

There was some applause as I stood up from my seat and walked over to the podium. I tried my best to keep my walking normal, but even so, I constantly had a slight limp. I didn't view it as a bad thing, though. It was proof of my injuries, and proof of what I'd done the night before. With confident thoughts in my head, I stood up on the podium and Monika handed me the microphone, stepping off the podium and sitting down in her seat.

"Thank you, Monika." I said. "Although I wouldn't say I've done THAT much, I still really appreciate the gesture. Anyway!" I turned back towards the small audience. "As Monika just explained, my name is Alex, I'm from Canada, blah blah blah. Anyway, this poem is very special to me, and reflects a very recent event that's happened in my life and had given said life more meaning. I hope you enjoy."

As I finished my brief speech, I pulled out my poem and began to read:

_Not many people can understand my strife._

_Depression? Loss? Heh, story of my life._

_That was the old me, but now I am new._

_And I believe that's all thanks to you._

_You see, that day would've been my last._

_However, you helped me let go of my past._

_I will never forget the people I've lost._

_But I'll still move on, remembering the cost._

_I thank you so much, you gave me a reason to live._

_You had much to lose, and little to give._

_Even so, what you gave me was a very great deed._

_Your small gift is all that I need._

_Thanks to you, I can finally live happily._

_Because, with your help, I've found a new family._

As I finished that final verse, I looked back up at the crowd. They were all silent, completely slack jawed. After a little bit, the first person to do anything was Natsuki. She stood up and began to clap loudly, and one by one, everyone else followed.

I looked through the audience, everyone clapping, until I saw Monika. She was still sitting down, staring right at me, and crying tears of joy. Even though the others didn't know the poem's true meaning, she understood it perfectly.

My attention was snapped away from Monika, however, as Natsuki rushed up to the podium. The applause died down as she stepped up onto it, then she threw her arms around me and pulled me into a hug.

I put my arm around her and taking advantage of my distraction, she reached over to the mic and pulled herself over to it, still holding onto me with her left arm.

"And for all you ladies out there," she said into the mic, "he's mine." The clubroom erupted into laughter, including Natsuki and I. I leaned into the mic as well.

"Thanks for coming, everyone!" I announced. "We appreciate your attendance and have a great day!"

"Take another cupcake on the way out!" Natsuki yelled gleefully.

As the students began filing out the doors, Natsuki turned to me and looked me directly in the eyes. I stared into those adorable eyes once again, and a smile crept across my face. With my free arm, I turned off the microphone.

"I love you, Nat." I told Natsuki.

"I love you too, Alex." She responded.

Just as the last person left the clubroom, Natsuki's face thrusted forward and her lips touched mine, pulling me into another kiss. I didn't know what the future held for me, but as long as I could be by Natsuki's side for the rest of my life, I didn't see how it could be anything but good.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally pulled away from each other, staring into each other's eyes once again.

"Guys, that was awesome!" Sayori screamed as she hugged me tightly from behind.

'_Welp,' _I thought, _'that's that moment over.'_

Very quickly, everyone was at the podium. Mc, Sayori, Monika, Yuri, Shiro, Tiffany, Natsuki, and I all stood there, enjoying the moment.

"I didn't expect that kind of thing from you, Alex!" Mc clapped me on the back. "That was pretty good!"

"Truly an incredible example of poetry." Yuri said softly.

"I didn't think it could get better after Natsu's poem," Tiffany told me, "but you proved me wrong!"

"Real impressive, Alex." Shiro adjusted his glasses.

"Alex, thank you." Monika thanked me, prompting me to turn around. "I... really appreciate what you've done. I don't know how to thank you."

"Listen, if we keep thanking each other like this, it'll never end." I joked. "Why don't we just go out and enjoy the festival?" Pretty much everyone nodded in agreement, Sayori being the most excited.

"Yeah, come on, Moni!" She ran in the direction of the door, yanking Monika's arm as she did.

"Ow, Bun! Give me a- ow!" Despite her protests, Monika was smiling happily.

I hadn't mentioned it before, but it was a bit strange to see Sayori and Monika in a relationship. Not that I hadn't seen it in a mod before, it was just strange seeing them in a relationship, in person. Does that make sense? Probably not.

"Come on, guys!" Tiffany prompted while running towards the door. "Let's go!"

Almost everyone in the room grinned excitedly and followed Tiffany out the door. I went to follow them, but I was stopped by Natsuki yanking my arm back. I turned to face her. She was blushing and twiddling her thumbs, not meeting my gaze.

"What is it, Nat?" I asked her. Natsuki looked up at me, the blush still as prominent on her face as ever, still twiddling her thumbs.

"Alex... would this be considered... our first date?" She asked me, instantly looking down at her thumbs again. I could feel my face getting hotter, and I could tell I was blushing just as hard as her, if not harder.

'_Our first date...'_ I thought.

I hadn't thought of that yet. I mean, I knew our relationship was official already, I just hadn't thought about dates yet. Despite that, I knew exactly what both Natsuki and I wanted.

"Yes." I answered with a smile. "This is our first date."

Natsuki's gaze snapped right back up as soon as I said that, a warm smile plastered across her face. I mirrored her expression, feeling the exact same thing she felt at that moment. She extended a hand, and I took it graciously. And with our hands connected along with our hearts, we began towards the clubroom door...

*Two hours later*

Natsuki and I had a great time. Honestly, there's no better way to put it. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The outside of the school was filled with booths, students, and visitors alike. There were booths serving food, selling homemade wooden models, and even a few homemade carnival games. For a school festival, they were all pretty high-quality. The food was delicious, the models were well-made, and the carnival games were surprisingly fun.

While it wasn't a place you'd expect a first date to go well at, it was really fun.

Anyway, as we enjoyed the festival, we began to lose track of time. Before we knew it, there was only an hour left, and I heard a notification on my phone. Pulling it out of my pocket, I took a look at the screen to find a text from Mc:

_Mc: Hey, where are you?_

_You: Somewhere._

_Mc: Real specific, Alex._

_You: Lol_

_Mc: Everyone's eating together at a mini-fast food booth. You wanna join?_

I turned to Natsuki.

"Everyone's eating together at a mini-fast food booth, and he's asking if we want to join." I told her. Natsuki gave me a toothy grin and nodded frantically in agreement. For the past hour, she'd been a lot more excited than usual, and it wasn't hard to figure out why. Smiling, I turned back to my phone screen:

_You: Sure. Where's the booth?_

_Mc: On the right side of the school, near the outdoor picnic area._

_You: K, on our way._

I put the phone away and immediately turned to Natsuki.

"Where's the picnic area?" I asked.

"It's literally right outside the cafeteria entrance to the school." She answered, sounding a bit condescending.

I felt stupid, as that was the area Monika and I talked on my first day here. After mentally beating myself up, Natsuki and I started towards the picnic area.

*Ten minutes later*

We arrived at the picnic area, and god damn, how did I not notice this place earlier?

There was a large square of hedges, similar to a hedge maze, but just an outline of a very large square with gaps on each side for entry and exit. Inside the square was a concrete path between the four entrances in the shape of an X, with grass filling out the remaining space. On each grass plot was four picnic tables, each about the same size as the booths in the cafeteria.

In the center of the X was a large booth, definitely bigger than the ones we'd visited so far. Inside, a collection of students were working hard making various fast food items. Something that struck me as odd was that there was no one sitting at any of the tables, which made me confused about why they were working so hard.

Standing at the booth was everyone else, all of them facing away from Natsuki and I, unable to see us. Or, that was the case, until Sayori glanced behind her and saw us, a look of excitement instantly shocked onto her face.

"Hey, guys!" She greeted, waving her arms in the air. Everyone else turned around as Natsuki and I walked up, warm smiles on their faces as well.

"Don't worry, we already ordered for you." Mc explained. "I remember your favourites, Alex, and we just ordered something basic for Nat. Is that alright?" Natsuki grinned and nodded excitedly, but I was confused about what he meant by 'I remember your favourites'. I glanced at Monika, who gave me a wink, answering my question.

"Oh, hello there Alex!" A woman's voice greeted from the booth. "It's been quite a long time!" I refocused my gaze at the booth to see a woman standing there, seeming a bit out of place from the students.

She had black hair that reached down to her shoulders, and had large, round glasses that made her eyes look unnaturally large through the lenses. She had a face that made her look to be around forty to forty-five. She was a bit taller than me, but shorter than Yuri, so around Tiffany's height. She wore a pure white coat with white leggings and white shoes, giving her a sort of 'clean' feeling.

"Keisatsu told me that you didn't remember him immediately, so I should probably reintroduce myself as well." She said. "My name is Ishi Sabishi, and I am Mc's mother."

_Name: Ishi Sabishi_

_Gender: Female_

_Age: 43_

_Height: 5'4"_

"And you must be Natsuki." She assumed, turning to said person. "Nice to meet you. Mc told us about what happened, and I must say, you're lucky to be alive. If Alex wasn't there, you would- what is it, honey?" Mc was poking her mother's shoulder, trying to get her attention.

"Mom," he started, finally having her attention, "it's kind of a sensitive subject for her right now. A decade of abuse doesn't just go away overnight. As a medical professional, you should know this!" He sounded annoyed.

Ishi's gaze transferred between Mc and Natsuki multiple times. At this point, Natsuki had a bit of a vacant look in her eyes, so I nudged her to snap her out of it. She muttered a small "thanks" before looking back at Ishi, who now looked a bit guilty.

"Oh, my. I'm so sorry, Natsuki." She apologized. "I'm more of a physical doctor, not a mental one. Speaking of which..." He eyes narrowed as she looked back at me. "Alex, are your wounds okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks for your concern." I answered quickly. I wanted to get away from that subject as quick as possible. Luckily, a voice called out from behind Ishi before she could respond.

"Okay, your food's ready!" It announced.

A few students came out from behind the counter, carrying a couple trays of burgers, fries, salads, and drinks. It all looked delicious; I almost began drooling. Ishi sighed.

"Well, I guess that's the end of our little chat." She said, a bit down. "Enjoy your food."

We all took a tray of food, making sure we took what was ordered to us. We picked a table at random and began towards it. As we walked, I turned to Mc.

"Hey, why was your mom at the fast food booth?" I asked.

"She's a doctor, so she's always a bit cautious of germs." He explained. "When she found the fast food booth, she joined in to make sure everything was sanitary, and refuses to leave until the event is over to prevent 'food poisoning'." I chuckled at this information. The image of a middle-aged woman yelling at a bunch of high school students about being sanitary was hilarious to me.

We all sat down at the picnic table we chose; in the exact same spots we sit during lunch in the cafeteria. Natsuki, me, Monika, and Sayori sat on one side, while Shiro, Tiffany, Yuri, and Mc sat on the other side. With all of us sat down, we began to dig in.

The food tasted amazing, shockingly enough. No one talked as we ate, probably because they were so focused on how good the food tasted.

*Thirty minutes later*

"So, I guess this could be considered a triple date?" Mc joked when everyone was done. I snickered.

"Yeah, I guess so." I responded.

"Why not a quadruple date?" Shiro smiled devilishly, pushing his glasses up. Tiffany frowned in mock exasperation.

"In your dreams, buddy." She rebounded playfully. Everyone at the table laughed.

"Tiffany, Shiro, are you going to join the literature club now?" Sayori inquired. Tiffany wasted no time answered.

"Why wouldn't I?" She responded. "After that performance, I don't think I'd be able to refuse even if I wanted to! What about you, Shiro?" Shiro thought for a moment.

"I don't see why not." He decided with a smile. Everyone at the table cheered, including Monika.

"Well then." Monika started. "As the president of the literature club, I now declare you two as members!"

Despite it not being necessary, Monika got up and shook the hands of Shiro and Tiffany, inviting them into the club. Everyone once again cheered, and once the cheering died down, Tiffany spoke:

"There's one thing that's still bothering me, though." She stated. "Natsu, why did Keisatsu want to talk with you, Alex, and Mc?"

The question seemed sudden and out of place. The whole table went quiet as all eyes snapped to Natsuki. You could practically see the beads of sweat running down her forehead. She'd already been under a lot of stress recently, so this was the last thing she needed. Before things could proceed any further, I stepped in.

"Long story short, Nat is now legally Mc's sister." I joked, trying to lighten the mood. The focused expressions towards Natsuki changed to confused expressions towards me, and Mc lightly gasped.

"Oh, shit. I didn't even think of that." He muttered.

"Um... I think we need a better explanation than that." Tiffany pointed out.

"Well... since I'm technically an orphan now..." Natsuki explained, twiddling her thumbs. "I'm not legally allowed to live on my own, so Mc's parents adopted me, in a way."

The table instantly became silent. After a few moments of excruciating silence, Tiffany slowly reached her hand across the table and rested it on top of Natsuki's, comforting her.

"I'm glad you could finally find a family that loves you, Natsu." She reassured her with a warm smile. "Congratulations."

Tears of joy began to formulate in Natsuki's eyes. With bated breath, she uttered the words:

"Thank you."

*Thirty minutes later*

After that moment of reassurance, the atmosphere at the table quickly picked back up, and everyone was back to chatting with each other. After everything that'd happened so far, I was so glad I was able to just lay back and talk, relaxing from the drama of the night before. We eventually lost track of time, and before we knew it, a message began playing over the intercom:

"_Attention students and visitors! The festival is now over. If you have any questions, please see the secretary at the main office for info. Have a nice evening."_

As the message completed, we all got up and threw away our trash. As we walked towards the exit, I couldn't help but think of how fun that day was. I thought about that day, the day before, and the day before, all the way back to when I first entered this world. It had only been a week, but in that week, I felt like I'd done more than I'd done in my entire lifetime. With these amazing memories in my mind, and the friends all around me, we made our way towards the exit, and left the school.

*Thirty minutes later*

As we walked back to our homes, we talked, laughed, and just had fun as we recounted the events of that day. By the time we got back to Mc's house, it was already quite late. We said goodbye to our friends, and Mc, Natsuki, and I made our way to the front door.

"Thank you both... for everything." Natsuki thanked us. Mc and I turned to her and smiled as Mc unlocked the door.

"You don't need to thank us for anything, Nat." I responded. "As long as you're safe, I'm perfectly happy." Natsuki snorted, laughing.

"Really?" She laughed. "That was so cheesy!"

The three of us laughed all the way towards the door, inside, and into the living room, where we all plopped down onto the couch.

"You guys want to watch a movie?" Mc asked us, holding up the TV remote. Natsuki nodded wildly.

"Sure, why not?" I answered, earning a "yay" from Natsuki.

"Alright." Mc pointed the remote at the TV, but a ring from his phone interrupted him. With an exasperated sigh, he pulled out his phone and looked at the screen.

"Hang on, I need to take this." He said, leaving the room.

Natsuki let out a small sigh, then leaned into my right side. I put my arm around her and held her close as she planted a small kiss on my cheek.

"Alex, I'm so happy." She said. "To be here with you, away from him... I can't remember the last time I felt like this." I looked at her with a smile, then pulled her in for another kiss.

"I'm just glad to be with you, Nat." I responded. "I'm so glad it's over, and we can live peacefully."

Our tender moment was suddenly interrupted by Mc walking back into the room with a concerned expression on his face. No... it wasn't concern... it was fear. My mind sparked into action, and my relaxed state vanished.

"Yeah, I'll tell them, but they won't be happy." Mc said into the phone.

"What?" I asked, concerned. "What is it?"

Mc turned off his phone and put it back into his pocket, looking me in the eyes. He was slightly crying, but the serious expression never left his face.

"You guys know how my dad was doing a search of Hiran's old house?" He asked. I was beginning to get a bad feeling about this.

"W-what about it?" Natsuki stuttered. Mc gave her a grave look.

"Well, they found almost everything that Alex described, except for one thing." He explained.

"O-oh fuck no..." I muttered. "D-don't tell me..." Mc nodded to me, confirming my fears.

"They never found Hiran's body." He said, scared. "He's still alive."

Natsuki gasped in fear, and tightly clung to me. The feelings of happiness and hope that I'd just had a few moments ago were gone. Hiran wasn't dead. He was still out there, probably pissed at everyone who helped save his daughter. I didn't want to believe it, but I had to. This... this wasn't over.

_N-not t-this t-time..._

End of Chapter 8


	11. Transcript 1

Monday, April 8, 2022

21:03

Woman: Have they awoken, yet?

Man: No, not yet.

Boy: I don't see how this guy'll help our plans. I mean, what do we even know about him?

Woman: We know he has the same beliefs as us about the aliens.

Boy: Why do we have to call them aliens? That's a stupid name-

*Loud bang*

Boy: AH, FUCK! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!

Woman: Don't disrespect the decision of The Great Kami. They are our protector, and we are their subjects. We must cleanse this world of the aliens for them...

*Long silence*

Boy: My apologies. Long live the Kamines.

All: Long live the Kamines.

Man:...

Woman: What is it?

Man: Oh? Um... nothing, dear.

*Another loud bang*

Man: AAAHHHHH!

Woman: Do NOT refer to me as "dear". You know what happened to HER, don't you?!

Man: O-of course. M-my apologies, milady.

*Two sets of footsteps leaving room*

Boy: Welp, there they go.

*Long sigh*

Boy: Long live the Kamines. Long live Kami... but... why must it be her?

*End log*


	12. Chapter 9: Moving

(_Author's Note: I've recently noticed some people in the reviews complaining about the lack of updates. I'm not calling anyone of them out or anything, but I request that you please don't try to rush the production of these chapters. I understand that with the recent quarantine people are really bored, but even though I'm in the same situation and have more time to write, these chapters are getting longer and longer, making it a bit difficult for me to write certain sections so they line up with past and future events in the story. In addition, there are times that I'm unable to write due to things going on in my house, plus my recent addiction to Stardew Valley (although I'll admit that's 100% my fault). Anyway, without further adieu, enjoy the chapter!)_

Chapter 9: Moving

Tuesday, April 9, 2022

8:00 am

_Notagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagannotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagainnotagain-_

"Alex, are you okay?"

Natsuki's worried voice brought me back to reality, and I found myself sitting cross-legged on my (our) bed, staring out the window. I responded, making sure not to turn around, knowing what would happen if I did so.

"Y-yeah, I-I'm fine." I answered shakily. My voice was shaking just as much as my left arm, prompting me to grab it in desperation of making it stop. The terrifying news of Hiran's survival had shocked both Natsuki and I, fear having gripped both our hearts.

My shirt was off to the side, laying on the bed. I was trying to make a habit of checking my injuries whenever I woke up, although I was waiting until Natsuki was out of the room to check my thigh-wound.

Due to the fear and worry, Natsuki insisted that I be in the same room as her while she changed, saying that she didn't feel safe alone. I made sure to look away as she did, despite her having said it was okay if I looked.

"_I trust you enough for it, and it's not like there's much to look at, anyway..." _She had said.

I wanted to argue and tell her that wasn't true. In my eyes, she was beautiful. However, I knew she wouldn't believe me. Her father had raised her with one mindset, which she had lived with her entire life. Before I helped her escape from her father, she had exhibited this mindset through anger. When we were at the festival, she had a completely different mindset, being confident and happy, enthusiastic even.

However, after learning about Hiran's apparent survival, she went back to the mindset her father raised her with. Only this time, instead of displaying it with anger, she displayed it with sadness. She thought lesser of herself, her previous confidence in herself gone. There were still traces of her happy self in her, but they were directed at others. She believed she was inferior to those around her, and it broke my heart to see her like this.

Honestly, I wasn't faring much better. Over the course of the night before, I woke up multiple times in a cold sweat, having had nightmares about the deaths of my family and friends. Each and every memory was crystal clear, and just as terrifying. It seemed like my PTSD was getting worse.

These thoughts were suddenly blocked as I felt Natsuki's arms wrap around me from behind. I was worried when I felt mostly skin, although I was minorly reassured when I felt fabric around her *ahem* chest as she leaned into me.

"Alex... what are we going to do?" She asked sadly. "With everything that's going on... I don't know how we could continue from here." She began to lightly sob.

'_I have to be strong...'_ I thought. '_For her...'_

I turned around and returned the embrace, ignoring the fact that Natsuki was in her underwear. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I rested my head on hers. If there was one thing I WOULDN'T do, I was NOT letting her suffer alone.

"Nat, I know you're scared, and so am I, but we can't let that fear control us." I whispered. "I'm here for you, and so is the rest of the Literature Club. And I promise, I won't let that son of a bitch hurt you ever again." I suddenly felt wetness on my cheeks, and it was then that I realized that I was lightly crying as well.

"I-I owe you... s-so much..." Natsuki said softly, catching me off-guard. I smiled and pulled out of the hug, keeping my hands on her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes.

"You don't owe me anything, Nat." I reassured her. "Just being with you is enough."

Natsuki's sad expression eventually changed to a warm and thankful smile, and the tears stopped. Then, her face surged towards mine, and I once again felt our lips touch. Every time we kissed, every neuron in my brain fired off, making each moment pure bliss. I would've been content with that moment lasting a bit longer, but it was suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Natsuki and I snapped our lips away from each other and looked towards the doorway to find Mc looking at us uncomfortably. Judging by mine and Natsuki's current state of dress, this was a very worrying situation.

"So, uh... I guess I'll come back later..." Mc looked off to the side, blushing, and turned around to walk away. I panicked.

"Hey, it's not like I judged you for what you and Yuri did on Sunday!" I blurted out. I instantly regretted saying that, as Mc turned around with a shocked expression.

The tension in the room suddenly increased tenfold. We stared at each other for a while, both sides incredibly uncomfortable. Having had enough of it, Natsuki jumped in.

"I don't feel safe changing by myself." She explained. Mc took a bit to process this, then let out an understanding "oh", but quickly transitioned to a confused expression.

"Wait, what was that about me and Yuri on Sunday? Were you two spying on us?!" He didn't sound angry, only disturbed.

"I had to walk by your room to go get Natsuki some cream for a burn she got from the stove," I explained, "and let's just say you two weren't exactly quiet." Mc looked mortified and did his best to keep his emotions under control. Eventually, he was able to fit a neutral expression on his face. He looked off to the side, his cheeks slightly red.

"Let's never speak of this again." He ordered. "Meet me downstairs when you're ready. My parents have an idea." He turned to leave, but then turned back to us like he just remembered something. "Also, there's no school today, so just wear whatever." Finally, he turned and left, closing the door behind him, leaving us with that information.

Natsuki and I looked at each other and nodded in a silent agreement. I turned back to the window as Natsuki stood up to get ready for the day. As I listened to the shuffling of clothes, I thought about what this 'idea' could be.

*Five minutes later*

"Okay, I'm done." Natsuki said at last. I turned around to view her in her new outfit that Tiffany had bought her the day before. Once again, I must reiterate, she looked beautiful. Once I was done staring, I stood up off the bed.

"Alright, see you downstairs." I stated. Natsuki nodded in affirmation, then left the room with a new bounce in her step. It seemed like that pep talk from earlier helped a lot.

With a sigh of relief, I began to check my thigh-wound. As I exposed the bandage covering it, I realized something strange. Without knowing it, I was putting equal weight on both legs, which should've hurt a lot with my injury. I touched the bandage where my stab wound should've been, and there was no pain.

Confused, I began to unravel the bandage. Looking back on this, I now realize just how stupid of a choice this was. Despite this, when I fully removed the bandage, all that was there was skin. Plain, undamaged skin. My wound was nowhere to be found.

At this point, if anything weird happened, I would always assume Monika knew why it was happening. With this mindset, I deposited the now-useless bandage into a trash can in the corner of the room, then began to get dressed.

*Five minutes later*

As I had gotten dressed, I noticed something that made the whole situation even weirder. While my leg wound was gone, my arm and gut wounds were still there. As I moved, my arm wound still ached, and my gut wound still slightly stung when I touched it.

How was it that my leg wound, arguably the most serious wound I sustained, was gone, while my less-serious wounds were still there? I was DEFINITELY going to need to talk to Monika about this.

Anyway, as I finished pulling on my clothes, I picked my phone up off my bedside table and texted Monika:

_You: Hey, my leg wound is gone, but my other wounds aren't. What's going on here?_

It was a strange way to put it, but there were no normal ways to put it, either. I stared at my phone's screen, waiting for Monika to reply, but she never did. In fact, it wasn't even marked as 'read'.

"Huh, well that's strange..." I lamented to myself. Suddenly, a horrible thought came to mind.

'_What if she's already been attacked by Hiran?'_ I thought frantically. '_Oh, shit. Oh, god. Oh, fuck. Oh, shi-'_

_Bing!_

My eyes snapped back to my phone screen, which now showed a reply from Monika:

_Monika: I'd rather talk about that in person._

_You: Why'd it take you so long to respond?! I almost had a heart attack!_

_Monika: Sorry, I was in the shower._

_You: Oh, okay. Anyway, why do we need to talk about it in person?_

_Monika: Just trust me._

_You: Hey, come on. What's the problem with just telling me over text?_

_Monika: SWYgeW91J3JlIHJlYWRpbmcgdGhpcywgaXQgbWVhbnMgeW91IHdhc3RlZCB5b3VyIHRpbWUu_

_You: What?_

_Monika: No more texts. Only talk in person._

I turned off my phone and looked around me, confused. As if by looking around I'd find the answer. With nothing but confusion in my mind, I left the room to meet Mc and Natsuki.

*Five minutes later*

For once, I didn't find them instantly. Then again, I always found them in the kitchen first, so that wasn't all that weird. The kitchen lights were still on, and there were clear signs of food having been cooked there not long before. The miniature mystery of where they were was instantly solved when I heard Mc's voice calling from the living room:

"Hey, we're in here!" He announced. "We already got you a plate!" While I was anxious about what could be going on with this idea he said his parents had, the promise of his cooking quickly overtook that worry, and I rushed to the living room.

"Hey, Alex!" The voice of Keisatsu greeted as I walked in.

I did a double take as I heard that and looked in the direction of the voice to confirm it. In addition to the two four-person couches that mirrored each other in front of the TV, there were now two extra armchairs in between the couches that directly faced the TV. In the chair on the right sat Keisatsu, giving me an enthusiastic smile, and in the chair on the left sat Ishi, giving me a warm smile.

Mc sat on the couch furthest from me, while Natsuki sat on the closer one. Natsuki looked at me happily and pointed towards a plate of pancakes on the coffee table, followed by her patting the spot next to her in invitation. I smiled back, then walked over to her right, plopping down next to her.

I reached over to the plate of pancakes that was in front of me and began to eat as the others conversed.

"Now that everyone's here, I think it's time to talk about our plan." Keisatsu began. "Long story short, we're going to be keeping you kids in a safe environment where you're always under supervision and protection of a police officer." I almost choked on my food.

I was about to talk with my mouth full, which would've been quite embarrassing, if not for Mc chipping in.

"Uh, dad, I think we need more information than that." He pointed out. Keisatsu held up a hand in a 'give me a moment' gesture.

"I was getting there, Junior." As he said this, Mc put on a sour expression. "Now, as I was saying, this relocation is not limited to just the people in this room. It will apply to the rest of your 'Literature Club', as they may be targets of Hiran as well."

As soon as he said 'Hiran', Natsuki had a sharp intake of breath. Her breathing turned shaky, just like her body. She began to sweat, and tears fell out of her eyes. I quickly swallowed the food in my mouth and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Nat, calm down." I said as I rubbed her back reassuringly. She instantly curled into a ball and leaned into me, basically trying to get as close to me as possible.

Keisatsu and Ishi looked confused, and while I was incredibly worried for Natsuki, Mc was able to keep an air of calm around him to explain.

"Dad, it's not a good idea to say 'that word' around her." He explained. "It triggers some bad memories." Keisatsu instantly went rigid and frantically tried to apologize, but I put a hand up in a 'stop' gesture as I continued to comfort Natsuki.

You may be wondering what was going on, and I'll admit, I should've explained this in my last entry.

You see, after discovering Hiran's apparent survival, Natsuki developed some sort of post-traumatic reaction to his name. We unfortunately learned this while talking the night before, and it took a while to get Natsuki out of her catatonic state.

Luckily, this time it wasn't as bad of a reaction. It took only about a minute for Natsuki to regain her senses. She slowly let go of me and got back to her normal sitting position, albeit not moving away from me to get back to her original spot. Once she was calm again, Keisatsu went back to his explanation after a few more apologies.

"Anyway, since your clubmates could also be targets for 'him', we're going to be bringing them here where they'll stay until we find 'him'." He explained. "Here, everyone will constantly be under my supervision and protection. We've already gotten the sleeping arrangements set up, and their parents have been notified of this issue." I luckily just finished swallowing when he said that.

"Wait, what?!" I exclaimed. "So, you're telling me that you have room for ten people in this house, including you two?!" I had many other questions, but for some reason, that was the most prominent one in my mind at that time. Keisatsu and Ishi laughed, then Ishi said:

"Well, yours and Mc's rooms can fit two people each, so we have you three plus Yuri covered." Mc blushed and looked away. "In addition, one of these couches extends into a bed for two, we have two guest rooms that house one person each, and then there's our own room." I did the math in my head and found out they were right.

"Oh, okay. Wait..." My gaze fixed on Mc. "Mc, why did you force me to sleep on the couch on Sunday if it could be turned into a bed?!" Mc looked at me guiltily, then rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness.

"Oh, well... uh..." He muttered. "I... I guess I forgot." He laughed nervously. Luckily for him, Keisatsu jumped in.

"Anyway, now that the sleeping arrangements are decided, it's time for us to discuss the actual moving process." He explained. "We have two cars, and each can fit about four people. Alex will come with me to pick up Monika and Shiro, while Mc will go with Ishi to pick up Yuri and Tiffany."

"But what about Sayori?" I inquired. "And we can't just leave Natsuki on her own. She's 'his' prime target!"

"I'm your answer to both questions." I heard a voice behind me say. I turned around frantically to find Sayori standing there with her hands on her hips, feeling strangely professional.

"Wha-how did you-what?" I sputtered, failing to create a single cohesive sentence. Sayori giggled at my confusion.

"I got here earlier and was in the bathroom up until now." She explained as she walked around the couch. "Anyway, I'll be keeping Natsuki company until you get back."

There was something strange about Sayori there. Usually, she was clumsy and childish, but here, she almost seemed like she was imitating Monika. It seemed like Monika was really starting to rub off on her. Despite the sudden and seemingly random plan, I felt confident in it. As I finished the last of my pancakes, I turned to Keisatsu.

"So, when do we start?" I inquired. Keisatsu gave me a smug smile.

"Now." He stated. "We need to get this done as soon as possible, so we can't waste any time. Put that plate in the kitchen and meet the rest of us at the front door." He got up along with Ishi and Mc, then rushed out of the room towards the front door. I got up and Sayori instantly plopped down in my place. Before I left, I turned towards Natsuki and knelt down in front of her, putting a hand on her cheek.

"Stay safe." I told her. She nodded cheerily and leaned forward, kissing me on the cheek.

"You two." She responded. I gave her a sideways nod as I stood up.

I walked towards the kitchen, betting a lot on this plan.

*Ten minutes later*

Despite the speed of the police car we were in, I couldn't help but feel like we were going too slow. It probably had something to do with the fact that we were going for the two people who were the furthest away from Mc's house. We were currently going for Shiro. Neither of us spoke, knowing that words won't do anything for the current situation.

We eventually stopped at our destination, and I looked out the window at what was supposedly Shiro's house. It wasn't large, but it wasn't your average home, either. It looked almost like a mix between Mc's house and Natsuki's old house, seeming like an upper-middle class establishment.

"Welp, here we are." Keisatsu stated as he exited the car. "Come on, we need to make this as quick as possible." I nodded, mirroring his movement and getting out of the car.

As we made our way up to the actual house, there was something about it that disturbed me. It took me a moment to pinpoint exactly what it was, but even when I saw what it was, it was still eluding me in some way. The property was incredibly clean on one side, but on the other side, it was a mess. The left side had perfectly cut, perfectly green grass without a weed in sight. However, the right side was very unkempt, and looked more like a jungle than an actual lawn. There were even a few toys strewn about that looked like they'd been sitting there for ten years.

I wasn't given much time to think about this, though, as we were rushing towards the house. The most important thing for that plan was speed. We needed to get Shiro and Monika, then get back to Mc's place as soon as possible.

We reached the front door and rang the doorbell. After less than a second of waiting, the door swung open as Keisatsu let himself in. He wasted no time in marching forward to find Shiro. Before he could make it far, however, Kuro appeared from around a corner.

"Ah, there you are!" He acknowledged. "Shiro is almost done packing. He'll be down in a moment. Would you like some tea?"

Kuro was acting quite strange. It somehow sounded like he was calm and anxious at the same time. Like two personalities were acting at the same time. I noticed this, but Keisatsu merely shook his head.

"No thanks." He declined. "We're on a tight schedule, and we can't waste any time." Kuro looked legitimately disappointed.

"Ah, of course..." His demeanor changed when he noticed I was there. "Ah, Alex! I apologize, but could I have a moment of your time? Please, I'm sure we'll be done by the time Shiro's ready." Keisatsu opened his mouth to decline, but I cut in.

"As long as it doesn't take too long." I accepted. Kuro put on a grin, then waved me over as he walked a bit further down the hall.

"Come." He ordered. "I'd like to speak with you in private." Not knowing what else to do, I followed him down the hallway and around a corner, out of earshot of Keisatsu.

"Okay, what's this about?" I inquired. Before he responded, Kuro's demeanor changed to one of shame.

"I-I'd like to apologize for what happened yesterday." He explained. "The way I just walked out on your club wasn't very polite." I put up a hand to stop him.

"You don't need to apologize for that." I reassured him. "The shock of what you learned about Hiran must've really gotten to you. Trust me, no one in the Literature Club thinks you should apologize."

Kuro opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted by a voice calling from upstairs.

"Okay, I'm done!" The voice of Shiro called. "I'm ready to go! Let's do this!"

Before Kuro could continue the conversation, I rushed back towards Keisatsu, who now had Shiro by his side. He had THREE DUFFEL BAGS on his body, most definitely carrying clothes, video games, and a shit ton of anime, if his personality was anything to go by.

Not wanting to waste any time, I quickly waved goodbye to Kuro and followed Keisatsu and Shiro out the door. I kind of regretted just leaving Kuro mid-conversation, but I didn't have time for idle chit-chat. There was no time to waste, even though we wasted a bunch of time trying to get Shiro's stuff to fit in the car.

*Ten minutes later*

Our next target was Monika, who I was surprised to learn lived in an apartment. It was a bit further into the city, but we still made it there in record time. Once again, we got out of the car and marched up to the huge apartment building in front of us, leaving Shiro in the car as we did.

It was your average apartment building, inside and out. Average exterior, average lobby, average everything else. Behind the counter stood a young woman, about twenty, with short brown hair and a tomboyish demeanor. Keisatsu and marched up to the receptionist.

"Excuse me, we're here to pick up Monika Kontororu." Keisatsu explained. The receptionist smiled, then pointed to the hallway on our right.

"You'll find her on that side of the building, floor 3, room 317." She told us.

"Thanks." I said, since Keisatsu had already rushed ahead. "Sorry, but we need to go quickly." The receptionist nodded in understanding, then waved me off as I followed Keisatsu.

He was standing in front of an elevator, waiting for it to open. It did just this as soon as I caught up to him, and we both stepped inside at the same time. I stood and faced the doorway as Keisatsu leaned over and pressed the 'floor three' button, then mirrored my pose.

"Men in Black up in this bitch, huh?" He joked. We chuckled, then rushed out as the elevator dinged and the doors flew open.

We rushed down the hallway, keeping a careful eye on the room numbers.

'_311... 313... 315... There, 317!'_

"There it is!" I announced.

I walked up to the door and knocked, probably more than I needed to. In fact, I was still knocking when Monika answered the door.

She looked... underprepared to say the least. Even though she looked awake and perfectly fine, there were no signs that she'd packed or done anything to prepare for the moving. In fact, even her expression showed the message of '_oh, shit'._

"Monika, why are you not prepared?!" I exclaimed. Then, without warning, she grabbed my arm and yanked me inside.

"Grab my laptop and everything around it." She ordered. "I'll grab anything in my room that I need. Keisatsu, stay here, just in case." She then closed the door, not giving anyone any time to respond.

Now that I was inside, I was able to see her apartment better. It mostly had light-blue walls with abstract paintings hanged here and there. It was your average apartment, with the main room being a living room and a small kitchen being attached. However, right next to the door, invisible to anyone looking inside, were a suitcase and a computer-carrying bag, both obviously full.

"Wait, I thought you said you weren't packed." I pointed at the two bags. Monika took a deep breath.

"I just wanted to talk to you in private." She whispered. "Now, about that thing you asked me earlier..." Despite my confusion, I was able to respond:

"Oh, right." I recalled. "Hey, why couldn't you tell me over text?"

"I didn't want to risk it." Monika instantly responded. I stared at her in confusion.

"Okay, that clears up nothing," I pointed out, "but we don't have much time. Anyway, just tell me why my thigh wound is gone, but my others aren't." Monika sighed deeply, as if I should've understood her reasoning, but answered me nonetheless.

"In addition to the abilities to enhance your strength and speed, your body will also heal itself faster." She explained. "However, it doesn't heal everything equally. Your more serious wounds will heal first, followed by your less serious wounds. It takes longer for serious wounds to heal, so that's why your gut wound is already healed." I did a double take.

Not thinking, I reached for the bottom of my shirt. Slowly raising it, I revealed the bandages that covered my supposedly-now-gone stab wound. I touched the bandages, and sure enough, no pain. I unraveled the bandages, revealing just plain skin. Surprised, I looked back at Monika.

"H-how did you know?" I asked her. She shrugged.

"Lucky guess." She admitted. "Anyway, take off your arm bandage." Her sudden order caught me off-guard.

"W-what?" I stuttered. Impatient, Monika reached forward and rolled up my right sleeve, revealing my arm bandage.

She unraveled the bandage, this one still hurting a bit. I was about to stop her, but then she finished taking it off, and I gasped.

The long cut was still there, but it wasn't 'fully there', if that makes sense. It looked like a mirage. As if it were just an illusion. I watched in awe as it slowly faded, and eventually disappeared, leaving bare skin behind.

All of my injuries were now gone, leaving me flabbergasted. I flexed my arm, shook my leg, and even twisted my torso. No pain. In just two days, the most serious physical wounds I'd ever sustained were already gone. I probably would've stayed there, standing in shock, if it weren't for Monika tapping my shoulder. I shook my head, clearing my mind.

"Come on, we need to go." She prompted, picking up her suitcase and computer bag. I nodded confidently, then joined her at the door.

*Five minutes later*

As we all packed into the car, Keisatsu drove off, going faster than he had been going before. He sped down the road with the siren on.

"Only one more pit-stop before going back." He stated.

"Wait, what?" I confusedly asked. "I thought we were just picking up Shiro and Monika." Keisatsu sighed, like he was preparing to disappoint a toddler.

"Even though the boys and I already did an investigation, we aren't completely sure we got everything." He explained. "We're going back to Hiran's house so you can maybe find something we didn't."

The thought made me shiver, and I was tossed into the recesses of my mind. I recalled the events of Sunday, and the horrors that I witnessed. Natsuki on the verge of death, immense pain from my fight with Hiran, and the knowledge that he wasn't even dead. I was scared, yes, but I had to do it. If I could find something at that crime scene, we could be able to get some sort of clue as to where Hiran was.

"O-okay." I affirmed. "L-let's do this..."

*Ten minutes later*

The former home of Hiran loomed over my soul as we stopped in front of the property. I stared out the window at the gate, the hole I had created still there. The door was, of course, still broken inward. Everything outside was the same, with the exception of some police tape strewn about. Despite the vacant look of the house, it still chilled me to the bone.

"Hey, you okay?" Keisatsu asked me. He put a hand on my shoulder, startling me and causing me to turn around.

He had a worried look on his face. The tough façade that he held up to be police chief was now absent, and he looked like nothing more than an old man, concerned for the health of someone else. I meekly nodded, doing my best to banish the memories.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied. "Let's just get this over with." I quickly got out of the car, slamming the door behind me.

As we made our way up to the house, I couldn't help but look at the barred window up on the second floor. I knew that window belonged to Natsuki's old room, and my fear was replaced with anger. It was funny how my fear of Hiran was overrun by my hatred of him for what he did to Natsuki so quickly, and my scared walk instantly changed to a confident march.

We reached the front door, a line of police tape held up across the empty doorway. Keisatsu held up the tape, allowing me to duck underneath and enter the house. He followed behind me as I stepped inside, and I took in the scene.

The hallway was lighter than it was before, most definitely due to the time of day. The sword display cases were still shattered and empty, the swords laying of the floor a bit further down the hall. The blades of both were still covered with blood, my blood on the gold-hilted sword, and Hiran's blood on the silver-hilted sword. So far, everything looked the same, so I walked a bit further in.

"So, notice anything weird, yet?" Keisatsu asked from behind me.

"No, not yet." I answered without turning around. "Most of the action took place in the kitchen and this hallway, so those are the most important areas to check." As I kept walking, I glanced into the living room on my right to find nothing out of the ordinary. Everything was the same as when I first saw it at first glance, so I didn't look any closer.

Walking into the kitchen, I took a moment to survey the surroundings. I hadn't taken notice of it my first visit, but I had just realized how strangely grandiose the kitchen was. It was something you'd expect Gordon Ramsey to cook in, which didn't seem to fit Hiran very well.

Nonetheless, I pushed onward and followed the trail of mine and Hiran's fight. I searched the entire kitchen, even places we never went near, and I still found nothing strange.

"Everything's the exact same." I stated. Keisatsu sighed.

"So, we have no leads?" He asked dejectedly. I shook my head.

"There's one last place I want to check." I told him. Without another word, I turned to the stairs on the left side of the room and climbed them, hoping that this final destination will give us any leads.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I entered another hallway. I walked a bit down the hallway, then turned and stopped in front of a specific door. It was pink, with childish flowers and hearts stuck to it. With anxiety and anger fighting in my mind, I opened the door and entered Natsuki's old room.

It was just as I left it, and that's to say, there wasn't much. All that decorated the room was a single white bed with no pillow or blankets and a barred open window. There probably wasn't anything in there, but I had to check everywhere. No stone could be left unturned.

"This was Natsuki's room?" Keisatsu asked, sounding short of breath. I nodded solemnly, but he said nothing more.

"There probably isn't anything in here, but I just wanted to make- what?" I stopped speaking as I saw something peeking out from beneath the bed. I don't know how I didn't notice it until that moment.

Rushing forward to the bed, I got onto my hands and knees and gazed under the bed. There, hiding under the bed, was a doll. It had pink hair, pink eyes, and a white tank top with a pink skirt. No doubt about it, this was a doll of Natsuki. I reached forward and grabbed it, pulling it out from under the bed. Keisatsu looked at me strangely.

"What's that?" He asked confusedly. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm not one-hundred percent sure, but it's obvious a doll of Nat." I said. "It's definitely not evidence, but I should still ask her about it." I pocketed the doll, its head sticking out the top of my pocket.

"So... there's no clues?" Keisatsu asked dejectedly. I solemnly shook my head, disappointed.

"Let's get back." I said. "The others are waiting for us." Keisatsu nodded in agreement, and we began making our way back.

We retraced our steps out of the room, down the stairs, and through the kitchen to the hallway. Before I could even tell, my brain was already telling me something was wrong. I put an arm out, stopping Keisatsu in his tracks. I scanned the hallway, until I saw it.

"The sword..." I muttered. Keisatsu followed my gaze and his eyes widened.

On the floor of the hallway, right where we had seen it not five minutes ago, the gold-hilted sword was missing. We ran forward at the same time and bent down, confirming its absence. We were stunned silent for a few moments.

"W-where did the sword go?!" Keisatsu exclaimed.

'_It doesn't make sense!'_ I thought. '_We saw the sword here when we arrived, and now it's gone. The only way that this could've happened is if someone was... here... with us...'_

The realization hit me like a truck. Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me, and an impending sense of danger. My instincts kicked in, and I grabbed the nearby silver-hilted sword. I stood up as quick as possible, and turned around, swinging the sword in a wide arc.

My blade connected with another, and I found the missing sword. It was being held by someone, and that someone was currently in a blade-lock with me. Keisatsu stood up in alarm and took in the view of this strange person along with me.

They were wearing completely black, like a cliché ninja/assassin. The only visible part of their body was their eyes, which displayed shock. They were completely covered in black clothing. It looked skin-tight, but padded at the same time, making their body type and gender impossible to discern, with boots and gloves to further cover their identity.

As soon as it was there, their shock quickly dissipated and they took action. They pushed my blade away and retreated to the kitchen. I rushed after them, Keisatsu following, but making sure to keep a decent distance away.

When I passed into the kitchen, all I could think was '_BLOCK' _when I suddenly saw the gold-hilted sword swinging at me. I raised my sword, blocking another strike. I spun my blade in a corkscrew, pushing the person back. They recovered incredibly quickly and aimed a thrust at my head. I leaned to the right, dodging the sword, and swung my sword at theirs to knock it away once again.

I went on the offensive and swung in an overarching motion, which they easily blocked. Luckily, this was exactly what I was hoping for. Using the momentum from their block to my right, I spun around and made a small hop, swinging my blade quickly and hitting theirs even harder, knocking it further to my right.

I took this chance and swung upwards, creating a cut from their left hip to their right shoulder. It wasn't a deep cut, but it was enough to draw blood. They staggered back, and I spun my sword into the reverse grip. I lunged forward and knocked them into the counter, holding my sword up to their neck, and holding their sword hand down with my left hand. Their life was at my mercy.

"Who are you?!" I exclaimed, nothing else coming to mind. I heard a small laugh from the person, and a click from their left hand. It was at this moment that I realized that I fucked up.

They began to convulse, their eyes rolling back into their skull. They dropped the sword and I jumped back, startled. Falling onto the ground, they continued to convulse and spasm, until they eventually stopped moving altogether. I stood there in shock, but Keisatsu pushed past me and crouched down next to their body, looking at their left wrist.

Keisatsu grabbed their left sleeve and pulled it down, revealing a small pin embedded in their wrist. He stood back up, but didn't move after that, seeming to be lost in thought. By this point, my mind had just barely processed what happened. My instincts had been driving me during the fight, not allowing me any time to ponder the situation until after the fact.

"W-what happened?" I stuttered, still shook.

"They poisoned themselves." He stated. "When they were cornered, they pushed that supposedly-poisoned pin into their wrist to kill themselves. It must be a pretty powerful poison to kill someone that quickly."

Finally diverting his attention from the recently deceased person, he turned to the gold-hilted sword that now lay on the ground next to the body. He bent down and picked it up, turning to me and presenting it.

"Put both swords back in their scabbards for easier transport." He ordered. "We're bringing them with us." I wasn't sure I heard that right.

"Wait, what?" I was confused. Keisatsu put on a (somehow) more serious face.

"Guns are useful for self-defence, but sometimes they're not the best weapon in close combat." He explained. "That was some pretty impressive swordplay right there, and I trust you with these more than anyone." The information finally through my skull, I reached out and took the hilt of the sword, the handle feeling strangely comfortable and familiar in my hand. I had never used a sword before, so it was strange how well I did in a swordfight.

The possession of these two swords made me feel oddly powerful and at home, as if I were some character in a video game who'd just reached max level. For the first time that day, I felt confident in myself, and my ability to protect those around me. With a smile on my face, ignoring the strange events that just transpired, I turned around and began to sheath the swords in their respective scabbards.

"Huh... that's strange." I heard Keisatsu say to himself. I turned around to see him inspecting the dead body, looking at their right hand after taking the glove off.

"What is it?" I inquired. Keisatsu waved me over, and I leaned in close to see what he was looking at.

"Does this symbol mean anything to you?" He asked me as he pointed at the back of the hand. I looked closer, and saw a strange symbol tattooed, or something, onto the back of their right hand.

It was a circle with an arrow pointing upwards, almost like the male symbol. There was a similar symbol below it, this one pointing down. They were divided by a straight line, making it look humorously like a fraction. I shook my head in response to Keisatsu's question, and he sighed deeply.

"I'll have the boys look into it." He said. "Anyway, we should be off. With this new evidence, I think I might know how Hiran survived..." This statement of his created more questions than answers.

'_What new evidence?' _I thought. '_How would he know how he survived? Does it involve that strange symbol?'_

I looked at him, waiting for him to continue, but he never did. It seemed like this talk was over, and it was time to leave. I stepped aside to allow him to pass by first, and I quickly followed him outside. I kept a strong hold on both swords, clutching them both to my chest like they would disappear if I dropped them.

The odder of the two things we found, the doll found under Natsuki's bed, still remained in my pocket, the head peeking out due to not fitting. This was my first time seeing any sort of doll relating to Natsuki, so I would be sure to ask her about it later.

As expected, I got a few strange looks from Monika and Shiro as I entered the car. Conversation started as soon as we were moving.

"So... what's with the swords?" Shiro asked. "Wait, scratch that. What's with the swords, AND the doll?" I turned my head to face them. Shiro had a look of confusion, but Monika seemed a bit shocked. Scared, even.

"W-why are you bringing those back?" She pointed at the swords, obviously remembering them from the fight with Hiran. My throat closed up when I noticed this, and it would've been difficult to answer had Keisatsu not intervened.

"We were jumped by some weird person wearing all black in there." He explained professionally. "There was a small scuffle, and they ended up killing themselves when Alex got the upper hand. We're bringing those swords for self-defence, because Alex was pretty good with them back there." There was some silence as they processed this information, then Shiro said at last:

"You had a sword duel?!" He inquired excitedly.

"THAT'S the part you're shocked about?!" I exclaimed. "Not the fact that some guy tried to kill us, looking like something out of Dishonored?!" Shiro opened his mouth to respond, but Monika put an arm out in front of him to cut into the conversation.

"I think we can all discuss this when we get back." She stated. "However, I have one question: Why do you have a doll that looks like Natsuki sitting in your pocket?"

"I found it under Nat's bed." I explained. "Other than the actual bed, it was the only thing in there." Monika thought for a moment, then nodded in affirmation, content with the explanation.

I turned back ahead, the conversation now over. We continued to speed down the road, the houses and people shooting by as we drove. I began to feel anxious. Not because of what happened, but because of what it could entail in the future.

*Ten minutes later*

We finally arrived in front of Mc's house, the first thing I noticed being that there was a car in the driveway. It was the car that Ishi and Mc had taken to pick up Tiffany and Yuri, so I was reassured that they were safe.

With a sigh of relief, I began to climb out of the car. All throughout this, I refused to let go of the swords. It wasn't voluntary, and I probably didn't even realize that I was clutching them so tightly, but I just didn't want to let go of them. For some reason, I felt safe, or even powerful when I had them. And, to protect Natsuki and everyone else, I needed to be powerful.

Anyway, we all eventually got out of the car, Shiro and Monika carrying their stuff with them as they did. It was quite a funny image, comparing how much each was carrying. Monika held only a single suitcase and computer bag, while Shiro held three full duffel bags. If someone were to pick them out of a crowd, they'd instantly know which one was the more professional one.

As we walked up to Mc's house, my attention was taken by a flash of movement from one of the upstairs windows. I snapped my gaze to it, but only saw a closed curtain.

'_Probably just one of them acting as lookout.'_ I concluded mentally.

We reached the door, and Keisatsu grabbed his keys to unlock it. For some reason, I had a sudden feeling of anxiety, as if I, or WE, were being watched. I looked around frantically, trying to find the source of this strange feeling, but to no avail. I was snapped from my stupor by the sound of the door unlocking.

"Alright, after you." Keisatsu stepped aside as the door swung open, allowing us entry. Monika and I went in first, her probably having the same feeling of being watched as me, judging by her quick movement.

"Ah, dammit." I heard Shiro say behind me as we entered.

I turned around to see him stuck in the doorway, his three duffel bags held at his sides making him too wide to fit. Despite his words, a playful smile remained plastered on his face, and he lightly chuckled at the absurdity of the situation.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Keisatsu exclaimed from outside. It was at this moment that I noticed Shiro was blocking his entry, making him stuck outside. Of course, at that moment, there was something to distract us from that situation.

"You're back!" I heard a voice call from behind me. I turned around and saw Natsuki at the end of the hall, smiling happily.

There was a comical 'POP' sound effect from behind me that signified Shiro's escape from the confines of the doorway, but that was only in the background as I looked at Natsuki, who's expression had now changed to one of shock and confusion as she noticed the swords in my hands.

"Alex... why did you bring those?" She asked quietly. I sighed deeply, the scared tone in her voice hurting me emotionally.

"Something... happened while we were out." I answered. "Keisatsu took me to your old house to investigate further, and we were attacked by someone. We decided to take the swords with us, since Keisatsu thought I was pretty good with them when I used them in defence." The negative expression never left Natsuki's face, but it brightened a little after my explanation.

"Hey, welcome back!" I heard Mc joke as he came up from behind Natsuki. "Yuri told us that she saw you out there, so we came here to confirm it." It was starting to sound like this house was some sort of bunker, which honestly wasn't that far off from its current purpose. Nonetheless, I was happy to know that movement I saw in the upper window was Yuri, and not someone else.

"There's a lot to talk about." Keisatsu cut in, finally able to fit past Shiro in the tight corridor. "Once everyone's situated, I want everyone to meet me in the living room." He lumbered past the rest of us, seeming quite serious about these plans.

We all looked at each other, then nodded in agreement at this plan.

*Ten minutes later*

As it turned out, the others who got there before us hadn't even STARTED packing for some reason. I don't know why, but I assumed it was because of how anxious they were about our return.

Mc, Natsuki, and I were helping Yuri, Tiffany, and Shiro unpack. It wasn't necessary to help Sayori and Monika unpack, since they would be sleeping in the living room together on the couch-bed. Tiffany and Shiro would be sleeping in the guest rooms, and Yuri would be sleeping with Mc in his room. Pretty basic stuff.

Anyway, for the actual unpacking, Mc was helping Yuri, Natsuki was helping Shiro, and I was helping Tiffany. I wasn't complaining, since out of those three, Tiffany was the one who I wanted to talk to the most.

"Hey, Tiff..." I began as we unpacked her stuff into the room.

"Yeah?" She responded.

"How have you been doing ever since Sunday?" I asked. The room went silent, and the tension increased.

We all reacted to that night differently. I was happy to have Natsuki back, Natsuki was happy to finally be safe, and Monika was relieved that we managed to save Natsuki. The only person who didn't seem to acknowledge the event positively was Tiffany, and it wasn't hard to see why.

"I... don't know." She answered at last. "I'm happy that you and Natsu are okay, but... I just... don't know."

To most people, that answer wouldn't mean much. But as someone who had gone through it before, I knew that she felt scared. In my time before coming here, I felt constantly scared about the concept of losing those around me, and that was the exact thing I said whenever I was asked how I felt about the terrorist attack that took the lives of my friends.

"Tiff, you're scared, aren't you." It was more of a statement than a question. When Tiffany didn't respond, I turned around to view her.

She was facing away, holding a box that she'd brought from home. She began to shake, then a quiet sob escaped her mouth. She dropped the box, which hit the floor with a loud 'THUMP'. She fell to her knees, sobbing quietly into her hands. I quickly stopped what I was doing and rushed over, slowly putting my hand on her shoulder from behind.

"H-how could I n-not be s-scared?" She quietly asked between sobs. "With everything that's happened so quickly in the past few days..." She suddenly turned around and planted her hands tightly on my shoulders, tears streaming down her face. "I just don't want to lose all of you!"

She threw her arms around me and clung to me tightly, sobbing into my shoulder. I stared straight ahead, shocked by her sudden emotional breakdown. I slowly brought my hand up and rested it on her back, reassuring her in her crying state. Her sobs eventually died down, and I was able to speak:

"Tiff, I know how you feel." I told her. "I know that feeling of powerlessness and the worry of losing the people you love. And since no one was there to tell it to me, I'm here to tell it to you: I promise you that everyone will be fine. No matter how bad it gets, as long as we're there for each other, everything will always get better."

We stayed there like that for a few minutes longer, her sobs now ceased, but her breathing slow and sad. Everyone has their limit, and it seemed like Tiffany's was almost reached. Eventually, she lifted her head and looked me in the eyes, a small smile on her face.

"Ever since I came here, I'd been looked down on by so many people." She lamented. "I'm so glad I met you all. Alex... thank you." I smiled back, her kind words reaching their way into my heart.

Neither of us wanted to, but we had to eventually get up and get back to work unpacking Tiffany's stuff. Despite this, the feeling of sadness in the room had completely disappeared, replaced with a soft reassurance of hope. And, if Danganronpa taught me anything, it was that hope can beat any despair.

*Ten minutes later*

"Is that it?" I asked as I placed the final book in the bookcase.

The boxes had seemed endless. Whenever I thought we were close to done, another box was revealed. It wasn't much work, but it felt oddly grueling. Tiffany had brought many strange things in addition to her normal belongings, like paintings and sport equipment. I didn't question it, though, as I assumed it was sentimental.

"Yup, that should be it." Tiffany confirmed from across the room. I stood up from my uncomfortable crouching position, but then paused as I noticed something on the desk at the foot of the bed. Or rather, I noticed a few things.

There were trophies on the desk, obviously brought there by Tiffany, as I had not seen them before. They were clearly sports trophies, sculptures of sport-related things adorning the tops of each one. I took a few steps towards them so I could make out the engraved messages on the bases.

"_1st place: Tiffany Edwards?" _I read aloud, coincidentally gaining the attention of Tiffany. She walked up from behind and stood beside me, a proud smile planted on her face.

"Impressed?" She asked. "I may not look like it, but I'm pretty big on sports!"

I looked at the other trophies, and they were all first-place awards. They ranged from football, to soccer, to even hockey. There were twelve in total.

It was this point that I concluded that I should just throw everything I thought I knew about DDLC out the window and stop assuming everything would be the same, because it clearly wasn't. With this new information in mind, I turned to Tiffany.

"Impressive." I complimented her. "I didn't expect this kind of thing from you." Tiffany nodded to me.

"I've recently been a bit more focused on my grades." She admitted. "That, and our school doesn't have an open spot on the team, so..." I nodded understandingly, then heard someone clear their throat from the doorway. We both turned around to find Natsuki standing there.

"If you two are done, could you maybe come to the living room?" She reminded us. "We're kind of all waiting on you."

"Alright, we're on our way." Tiffany agreed. "Come on, Alex." She walked forward and waved me along, but something about Natsuki confused me. She was looking at something. At my pocket.

I followed her gaze to my left pocket, which still held the small Natsuki doll that I'd found at her old house. I'd completely forgotten about it and was a bit surprised that she didn't notice it earlier. She rushed forward and grabbed the doll from my pocket, holding it up and looking at it intently.

"W-where did you find this?" She asked after a while.

"Keisatsu and I found it under your old bed when we investigated your old house." I explained, careful not to mention the name 'Hiran'.

Natsuki stood there, speechless for an uncomfortable amount of time. Then, suddenly, she surged forward and encompassed me in a tight hug to rival Sayori, shocking me as speechless as her. She kept a hold on the doll of herself, not letting go as she held me. She was crying tears of joy, although I didn't understand why.

"Uh... what's going on here?" Tiffany asked, confused. "What's with the doll, Natsu?" Natsuki was unresponsive to her question, and made it seem like she was explaining of her own volition:

"Alex, you have no idea how happy this makes me." She told me softly. "This doll was... the last birthday gift I ever got from my mother before she died... thank you." I couldn't really imagine getting that happy over a doll, but sentimental value was very strong when it involved dead loved ones, which was exactly the case with the money I inherited.

"Well, I'm glad I could help, Nat." I ruffled her hair. She looked up at me, trying to look annoyed at that action, but couldn't bring herself to do it.

The wide smile remained on her face with no sign of disappearing, and it was then that Tiffany was forced to crash the moment.

"I know you two have a lot going on right now, but..." Tiffany pointed to the doorway, reminding us of the fact that Keisatsu wanted to speak with us all. We reluctantly let go of each other and started towards the door.

As we were unpacking Tiffany's things, I had propped the two swords up against the doorway so they wouldn't be in the way as we worked. As we left, I grabbed them back into my hands, feeling safe once again.

*Five minutes later*

"So, now that we're all here, I'd like to talk about something relating to the survival of 'You Know Who'." Keisatsu started. Natsuki shivered a bit in response, so I held her a bit closer to calm her down.

"Now, Alex, how do YOU think he could've survived?" He continued, looking at me intensely.

'_What? Me?' _I thought. '_Why me?'_

Despite the sudden prompt, I delved into the back reaches of my mind in hopes to find an answer.

"Well... he got stabbed in the chest, close to, if not in, his heart." I recalled. "I read somewhere that someone can survive an injury like that for about five minutes, which wouldn't be enough time for him to do anything to save himself. So... I don't know." Keisatsu sighed in response.

"Think about what you just said." He prompted. "There wouldn't be enough time for HIM to save himself." I thought he'd continue, but I was unfortunately wrong. Suddenly, I had a revelation.

'_Wait... HE couldn't have done anything.'_ I thought. '_But what if...'_

"Are you suggesting he had help?" I deduced. Keisatsu pointed at me, giving me a 'you got it' gesture.

"Precisely." He confirmed. "In addition, I believe that it has something to do with the person who attacked us today. You see, I did some research on the strange symbol that we found on their left wrist, but it all came up empty. Despite this, it was found that the symbol was similar to other symbols that represented famous cults back in the day."

"So, you're suggesting that he's a member of a cult?" Mc cut in. Keisatsu held up a hand, silencing him.

"Maybe, but maybe not." He responded. "We can't be sure he was always a member of this cult, or that he was even a member of the cult to begin with. However, he was a proud man who believed himself to be better than those around him, which is a trait often found in cult members."

'_How the hell does he know all this stuff?'_ I wondered.

"Furthermore, Alex, wouldn't you say it makes sense for a cult member to be so quick to kill themselves in a bad situation?" He questioned. "The person we encountered today probably killed themselves so they wouldn't give away any information."

Thinking about this, it all made sense. However, it was Tiffany who cut in and brought up a fair point:

"But this is all theory." She mentioned. "What makes you think he survived at all? He could've just crawled a little ways away from the house somehow and died there." She had a good point, up until that second and third sentence.

"My team and I did a full search of the surrounding area up to two kilometres away, and we found no hints that he had died." Keisatsu responded. "Anyway, that's all the information we have for now."

"Um... I have a question..." Sayori muttered. "How will this affect our school attendance?" It was a random question, but an important one. Keisatsu sighed deeply.

"Due to the highly-crowded streets during the day, we thought it best to allow you to walk to and from school normally, although there will be a few undercover police officers keeping an eye on you throughout your journeys." He answered. "Now, will that be all?" No one said anything.

"Okay, that will be it."

*One hour later*

I found myself in Mc's backyard with the two swords. I was swinging them around, trying to get a good feel for how I'd fight with them. I thought about any sort of weapons my opponent would have, how they'd use them, and different tactics to deal with them. I quickly found out I'd be able to combine my ability to enhance my strength and speed with them to fight faster, eventually making me able to literally slice a leaf in half in midair.

Now, up until now, I realize I haven't described Mc's backyard. And holy hell, it was beautiful. It was basically your old, cliché Japanese backyard with a pond, cherry blossom tree, and a small Japanese garden. It was cliché, but I was always a fan of the aesthetic, so I wasn't complaining.

"Are you training, or just having fun?" I heard a voice from behind me ask. I spun around faster than was necessary and found myself face-to-face with Monika. I sighed in relief that it was only her.

"Don't scare me like that." I ordered. Monika giggled at my frustration.

"If you say so." She walked around me and took in the scene of the backyard. "It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" I walked up next to her.

"Yeah." I agreed, looking up at the cherry blossom tree. "I've always loved the look of Japanese gardens. Something about the tranquility and beauty just resonates with me." Monika again giggled, then sighed happily.

"I realise we haven't really had a chance to talk normally ever since you came here." She pointed out. "So, anything you'd like to talk about?" It was a strange request, but then again, I could see why she was asking it.

"It's weird how the two of us know so much more than the others." I lamented. "You brought me here to help you save the others, but do you have any plans to tell them that?" Monika pondered this question for a moment.

"I've told them before in other dimensions, but it always freaks them out whenever I told them." She answered. "Even if they didn't, I don't really see any point in telling them at the moment."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I agreed. "So, what are your plans now?" Monika turned to me with a smile.

"Live." She responded simply. I nodded.

"Yeah, that's a good plan." I joked. Both of us laughed, and I felt relief.

Monika was confident in her future, and I wanted to do my best to follow her trail. Even if we were in mortal danger because of Hiran, I felt hope that we would make it through this. I was sure this wasn't the end of our troubles, but that didn't mean it was the end of our happiness either. Our future wouldn't die. My friends wouldn't die. I... wouldn't die.

_Not This Time..._

End of Chapter 9


	13. Transcript 2

Tuesday, April 9, 2022

23:44

*Rapidly approaching footsteps*

*Door bursts open*

Frantic Man: M-Milady!

Woman: What is it?

Frantic Man: We've just gotten confirmation on the status of the assassin we sent!

Woman: And? What of them?

Frantic Man: They're... dead. We believe they were cornered, and had to-

Woman: I don't care about what you believe!

*Three sets of approaching footsteps*

Boy: What's with all the yelling?

Frantic Man: The assassin failed to kill them, and died.

Man: Oh, god...

Boy 2: I told you they wouldn't succeed.

Woman: *sigh* Leave us.

Frantic Man: O-of course, Milady.

*Footsteps leaving*

Woman: Tell me, has our friend awoken yet?

Man: No, unfortunately. Although we've stabilized his condition, there's no signs of him waking up any time soon.

Woman: *grumbling*

Boy: I-I am not questioning the decision of the Great Kami, but... why is he such an important target?

Boy 2: ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER ALL THE SHIT HE'S BEEN DOING TO OUR WORLD?!

Woman: Both of you, calm down. Both of you have told me that this boy is a danger to our success. Killing him is the only option.

Boy: Understood, M-Milady.

Man: *incoherent, but alarmed voice speaks through walkie talkie*

Woman: What?! Bring me there! We CANNOT let him die!

*Rapid footsteps leaving*

Boy 2: Don't you ever question the Great Kami again. I will NOT identify with a traitor! You will end up just like "her"!

*Footsteps leaving*

Boy: But... she's innocent...

*End log*


	14. Chapter 10: Strange Happenings

Chapter 10: Strange Happenings

Wednesday, April 10, 2022

6:30 am

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbe-_

_SMASH_

I groggily opened my eyes and awoke from my sleep, my vision slowly clearing to reveal the already-deactivated alarm clock that rested on my bedside table. Despite my tired state, I contained a strong feeling of satisfaction at my newfound ability to strike an alarm clock before I've even woken up.

"Do you always hit your alarm clock that hard?" I heard Natsuki yawn from my left.

I turned around and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, seeing that Natsuki was doing just the same. With her ribbons out of her hair and her hair flowing loosely, I couldn't help but stare a bit. Her current state of tiredness combined with her casual appearance made her look, for lack of a better term, adorable.

"Yeah, pretty much." I joked. Natsuki gave me a tired, but amused, smile.

"I could've hit it harder." She joked back, giving me a grin. I grinned back.

After a bit more back-and-forth, we eventually began to get out of bed. We were in the same position as the day before, with me sitting cross-legged on the bed facing the window as Natsuki got dressed behind me. I found it pretty dumb how we still needed to go to school with the possibility of a cult targeting us, but there was no point arguing when the person who was giving the order was the chief of police.

"_You'll be safe in such a highly-populated area." _He had said. "_No one would dare risk attacking you while you're surrounded by so many other people."_

'_Yeah, tell that to my friends.'_ I thought, frustrated.

Even just that small thought of the terrorist attack caused my heartrate and breathing to go faster. Visions of the event began to swarm through my mind. The broken bodies of my friends. Covered in blood, bullet holes, their eyes bulging out of their skull with a pain-stricken expression that showed their final moments as being as painful as can be-

"Alex?"

The visions ripped away from my mind as Natsuki spoke her concern, and I was back in reality. Natsuki was leaning around my right, looking me in the eyes with a worried expression. It was a similar situation as the day before, only this time, she was wearing a full shirt.

"J-just a m-minor PTSD a-attack." I stuttered. "N-nothing too serious." It didn't seem like Natsuki was very convinced, as her gaze was fixed on my still-shaking arms. Natsuki's concerned expression refused to leave her face as she looked back up at me.

"Your PTSD is getting worse, isn't it." It was more of a statement than a question. "Alex, I know you have a lot to deal with right now... but if you need anyone to talk to, then I'm always here for you." I considered her offer for a moment, but then shook my head slowly and solemnly.

"I appreciate the concern, but this isn't exactly something I can really talk about right now." I told her with a sad smile. "N-not until this is all over, o-okay?" Natsuki let out a deep sigh, then pulled me into a hug.

"Just don't push yourself too far, okay?" She requested with a smile. "If you need anything at all, the rest of us are here for you, no matter what." She gave me a light kiss on the cheek, then turned to leave the room.

"I thought that was my line." I joked just before she exited the room. She turned halfway around and gave me a sideways smile, before turning back and passing through the doorway.

I lightly chuckled to myself, then began to get into my school uniform. The memories were still squirming around in the back of my mind, trying to escape, but I was able to manage for the time being. Ever since the conversation with Monika the night before, I hadn't been able to recover. My body began to go on autopilot as I recalled the event:

_Flashback_

_Monika and I were relaxing in the backyard together after training with the swords. Even though Keisatsu had entrusted them to me, we thought it best that more than one person know how to use them well._

"_Hey, Alex, I was wondering..." Monika started. "Do you have any plans to tell the others about your... *ahem*… past?"_

_My right arm began to shake a little, prompting me to swing my left hand over and hold it down._

"_I... don't think that would be the best idea right now." I answered, shaken. "With everything going on, it wouldn't do anything except stress them out more."_

"_I guess you have a point..." Monika sighed. "Your friends... what were they like?" I had a sudden, sharp intake of breath. My PTSD from the attack had been coming back slightly ever since Monday night, but it hadn't been getting all that bad up until then._

_I stupidly answered, for some reason thinking that I could just power through it._

"_K-Kyle was the weirder one." I answered nervously. "H-he was nice, b-but sometimes a b-bit distant." My breathing was beginning to speed up. "J-James was t-the joker. H-he laughed a-at every j-joke someone t-told, and h-he was d-definitely the m-most lively o-of the g-group. He a-and Kyle d-didn't see e-eye-to-eye very m-much, but t-they were s-still friends." I could feel my heartrate going faster and faster. "A-Aurora w-was t-the s-shy o-one. S-she w-was l-like J-James, o-only s-she d-didn't h-have a-as m-much c-confidence a-as h-him-"_

_I suddenly went ridged, and the images of the event shot through my mind before I could even comprehend them. My mind was overfilled with the memories, and they were all I could think of. My vision went red, and all I could feel was fear._

_My throat felt hoarse, but I didn't remember screaming. Through all these sensations, I could just barely make out the outline of Monika looking down at me with a scared expression. The next little while was a blur, and I eventually found myself inside, surrounded by everyone else..._

_Flashback End_

I tucked my phone into my pants pocket as the memory ended, my hands still shaking just from thinking about it. I focused all my attention towards stopping the memories, and the shaking eventually ceased. I had to stay strong for the others. I kept telling this to myself, but it only barely helped.

With a sigh of relief, I turned towards the door and left the room to meet with everyone else.

*Five minutes later*

Before I'd even entered the living room, a vaguely familiar voice rang out from inside:

"_Now it's Reyn time!"_

And because of that, I looked directly at the TV as soon as I entered. Everyone was looking directly at the TV as they ate, and they were watching YouTube. Yes, everyone was watching a let's play on YouTube on the TV as they ate first thing in the morning.

"_I guess you could call it a... Deus Ex... Machina!"_ The person playing the game joked. Everyone in the room groaned at the horrible pun, including me. The extra groan in the room caused everyone to notice my presence and turn to me.

"Hey, man!" Mc greeted. "We saved you some food. It's right over there." He pointed to the coffee table, where a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon sat.

I gave him a wave of thanks as I walked inside. I picked up the plate of food and sat down in the only empty spot in between Natsuki and Tiffany. Shiro took up the last spot on our couch. On the other couch sat Mc, Yuri, Monika, and Sayori in that order. Keisatsu and Ishi sat once again in their two armchairs.

Natsuki gave me a sudden, quick peck on the cheek, then went back to eating and watching. I followed her lead, but then noticed Tiffany giving me an oddly happy smile. I turned my attention to her, and she suddenly realized she'd been staring.

"You two are perfect for each other." She commented, making me a bit red in the face. This reaction made her giggle at my embarrassment.

"You know, you and Shiro are the only two people in this room who aren't in a relationship." I pointed out jokingly. "You know what that means..." Tiffany took a few seconds to get what I was saying, then went just as red as I was. She sputtered for a few moments before she was able to respond.

"H-he's not my type." She stuttered. Shiro jokingly let out a disappointed "aw" after she said this, causing us to laugh.

My joking was ceased when Natsuki suddenly threw her arm around my back, basically hugging me with only her right arm. She scooted a bit closer to me and rested her head on my side, not able to reach my shoulder. We all silently agreed that the conversation was over, and then turned our attention back to our food and the TV.

*Ten minutes later*

"It's time for you kids to go." Keisatsu suddenly stated as he bolted up from his chair. "This is the time that the most people will be on the road, so you'll be the safest you can be in public."

Monika, Yuri, Sayori, Mc, and Shiro got up first. However, the remaining three people (including me) hesitated.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Tiffany questioned. Keisatsu gave her a look of confusion, then sighed.

"I understand your concern, but you have nothing to worry about." He reassured us. "No one would be stupid enough to attack you while you're surrounded by people." One look at his face was all I needed to tell he wasn't telling the full truth.

He was hiding something. His expression was guarded, like he was trying his best to prevent anything from getting in or out. His body was rigid, showing the same guarded feeling as his face. There was something he wasn't telling us, but that didn't exclusively mean he was lying. For some reason, this reassured me more than it should have.

"Alright." I sighed, trying to look reluctant. "Tiff, Nat, he has a point. They wouldn't risk something like that." Tiffany looked at me in dismay, but Natsuki slowly stood up alongside me. It seemed like Natsuki's trust in me was quite high.

Tiffany looked between the three of us a few times, before closing her eyes and slowly sighing deeply.

"Well, if everyone agrees, I guess there's no point in arguing." She reluctantly agreed. "Okay, let's go."

With a final sigh of reluctance, Tiffany stood up, and the three of us began to make our way towards the front door. As we grabbed our stuff, I found myself confused by something about Monika.

Up until now, she'd always kept her hair tied up into a ponytail with a white ribbon. However, this time, she for some reason opted to leave her hair hanging down, spilling down her shoulders and beyond. Monika had always had a professional air about her, so this small change caught me a bit off guard.

I chose not to ask her about it, though, as it wasn't all that difficult of a question to answer. Sayori was clearly having an influence on her, as was vice versa.

*Five minutes later*

As we walked down the street, the sidewalks were noticeably more crowded than normal. Keisatsu clearly wasn't joking when he said that most people would be on the road at that time. It wasn't packed or anything, but it was to the point where our conversations could easily be overheard by mere passerby.

"This is going to be so weird..." Natsuki said to herself.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Natsuki slightly jumped, a bit surprised at how I overheard her whispering to herself.

"Well, this is the first time we're going to school while we're together." She reasoned. "Won't that be a bit awkward? I mean, I kind of have a reputation for being a hot-headed bitch." I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"It'll be fine." I reassured her. "Besides, it'll give you the opportunity to break that reputation." Natsuki made a small 'hmm', considering the idea.

"I guess you have a point." She admitted.

I waited for her to continue, but she had apparently decided the conversation was over. Understandable, considering it was kind of hard to find a topic of conversation without referencing one of our many current problems.

With this issue, even the others in our group said nothing. Not even Sayori's internal sunshiny self was present. It was depressingly quiet, and no one stepped up to cut the silence as we walked.

*Thirty minutes later*

Still, no one said anything even as we approached the front gate of the school, the building looming over us like the silence we were in. It wasn't only the shock of everything that'd happened so far, but there was a distinct feeling of nervousness in our party as well. Some of us were clearly worried about getting attacked out in the open, despite Keisatsu's reassurance that it was safe. Unfortunately, there were a certain two people who he couldn't account for...

As soon as we passed through the threshold that the gates of the school offered, Monika was grabbed by someone, and the next thing we knew, Chad was standing in front of us with his arm around Monika's waist, Okane standing behind him.

"I can see you changed your look." He taunted with a smug smile. "Are you preparing for me to pound you into the bed-"

Before he could continue with his sexual harassment, Sayori marched up to him surprisingly fast and cracked her fist against his face, causing him to let go of Monika. Sayori's sudden anger surprised all of us, most of all Chad.

He had a shocked expression on his face as he processed what had just happened. Sayori was the gentlest person in the entire group, so his reaction made sense. However, as he saw the look Monika was giving Sayori, his eyes slowly lit up with realisation.

"Wait, are you two _together_?!" He laughed, then suddenly stopped and gave Monika a serious expression. "Hey, now. I'll show you the CORRECT way to live."

He made another reach towards Monika, but Sayori quickly grabbed his wrist and looked at him angrily. Even though I hadn't seen it that much, angry Sayori was quite a scary sight.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch. Moni." Sayori spoke haltingly and threateningly. I was mentally freaking out. This was really out of character for Sayori, but then again, it was probably warranted due to the recent events.

"Goddamn freaks." Chad sighed, then thrust his other fist forward towards Sayori's face.

It happened so fast, but what followed happened even faster. Yuri, who up until that point had just been looking on in horror, suddenly bolted forward and caught Chad's fist with her left hand while pulling something out of her purse with her right.

Yuri's face was filled with rage, while Chad's was filled with the same. However, that quickly changed to fear as the object Yuri was pulling out of her purse was revealed to be a knife. She held it threateningly in a pose where she was ready to stab him, and no one moved.

Eventually, Chad stepped back from the two of them, and his expression was back to anger.

"You should be submissive and controlled." He told them, pissing everyone off. "That's how this world works. YOU ARE ALL BELOW ME!" He sprinted away, entering the school building and leaving Okane behind.

Okane didn't react. He just stared straight ahead, looking like he was lost in thought. He eventually snapped out of it and looked around frantically. When he realised what was going on, he quickly turned around and ran after Chad, leaving me confused as to what the hell was going on.

"Well then." I said awkwardly. "That was... something."

"It, um... it sure was." Mc agreed, just as awkwardly. "Hey, Yuri, could you maybe put away the knife? You're kind of scaring me."

Yuri suddenly jolted, having not noticed that she was still holding the knife. She frantically put it back in her purse with an alarmed expression, then bowed in apology to Mc.

As Mc continuously told Yuri that she had nothing to worry about, Natsuki leaned in and whispered:

"What was Okane's deal?"

"I don't know." I responded, giving the obvious answer.

Our attention was dragged to Yuri and Mc, who were still having trouble communicating an apology, and the fact that an apology wasn't necessary.

"Yuri, you don't need to apologi-"

"Imsosorryididntmeantoscareyouipromiseitwonthappenagainpleaseforgiveme-"

It was a situation that was strangely quite funny and caused everyone else to laugh. The drama of the previous encounter had dissolved and was replaced with hilarity at this small show.

*Ten minutes later*

I pulled my binder out of my locker and shut the door, closing the lock as I did so. Despite the distraction behind the previous scene, our group was eventually able to continue onward into the school. We had broken up at the front doors and went our separate ways to our lockers, some of us still chuckling.

It was strange to be back at that school, having had so much happen in between. It almost felt like a years' difference in time, so it was a bit difficult to comprehend my situation.

I turned away from my locker and looked down the hall, preparing to make the journey towards my next class. However, as I did, something caught my eye at the end of the hallway.

There was a flash of movement, only just barely enough to see. There was nothing there, but I knew for a fact that I'd seen someone, or something pass around the corner and out of sight. I suddenly had a stroke of fear, so I did my best to calm myself down.

'_You're not in any danger here.'_ I thought to myself. '_It was probably just the janitor.'_

It took a bit of effort, but the reassurance eventually flowed through my brain, and I felt mostly safe. Mostly.

I began walking down the hall towards my math class, ignoring the fact that I was currently walking towards where I'd seen that flash of movement.

*Five minutes later*

I entered my math class and was immediately blinded by Shiro once again, the light from the window reflecting through his glasses directly into my face. He was DEFINITELY doing this on purpose.

I turned my head at an angle to the point where the light wouldn't hit my eyes as I approached, adjusting the angle if necessary. I probably looked ridiculous walking like that, but I didn't mind. If I had a choice between keeping my vision or dignity, I'd always choose the vision.

"You're taking all the fun out of it." Shiro joked as I plopped down in the seat next to him.

"I'm sorry that I like sight." I joked back, earning a chuckle from him.

That was followed by an awkward silence, which Shiro quickly filled.

"Hey, what's the Literature Club like?" He asked out of the blue. It was a strange and sudden question, but I answered nonetheless.

"It's honestly pretty calm." I answered simply. "We basically hang out and do literature-related things. And then, every day we share po-"

'_Fuck, I forgot to write a poem.'_ The realisation hit me like a truck, probably harder than it should've. I found myself staring straight forward in shock.

"Alex? You there?" Shiro was poking my side. He repeated himself countless times, and I was eventually snapped out of it.

"S-sorry, I kind of trailed off there for a second." I apologized.

"How the hell do you lose concentration while you're talking?" Shiro asked.

"I'm talented." I joked in answer, earning another chuckle.

A short silence filled the next few seconds, and I took the opportunity to ask Shiro a question that I'd wanted to ask him for a while now.

"Why did you decide to join the Literature Club?" I asked him. For some reason, Shiro looked a bit uncomfortable with this question. He began to twiddle his thumbs, thinking of a reply.

"I... um..." He sputtered. "I just wanted to be a part of a small group, I guess. I didn't want to be with a bunch of people in a crowded room."

I wasn't satisfied with this answer. I wanted to press him for a more detailed reason, but the bell sounded, punctuating our conversation with three dots.

*One class later*

Shiro left the class oddly quick, beating even the bell by one second. Shiro was usually so happy, it left me wondering why he was so uncomfortable with the talk we'd had.

'_He's just shaken from the recent events.'_ I told myself. '_Get a hold of yourself, Alex!'_ I mentally slapped myself into concentration, then stood up from my desk to meet with Natsuki.

"Hey, Alex." I hadn't even exited the doorway, and I already heard Natsuki greeting me from my left.

I looked in said direction to see Natsuki leaning against the wall, giving me a warm smile. I couldn't help but return that smile, ignorant to the swaths of students curving around us. We stayed staring at each other for what felt like an unnecessary amount of time. Eventually, my vocal cords remembered how to function.

"So, shall we be off?" I offered awkwardly. Natsuki giggled.

"Alright, come on." She responded, walking past me.

As I began to follow beside her, her hand reached over a bit and slipped her fingers into mine, interlacing them. I felt my face heat up at this casual public contact, but Natsuki didn't seem fazed in any way. She retained her warm smile from earlier, comforted by my presence.

*Five minutes later*

"So, anyway, that's how Charlie and the Chocolate Factory made me hate whipped cream."

Natsuki stared at me in confusion as we entered the science classroom, but slowly turned back ahead with a shrug.

Ignoring that previous and uncomfortable conversation, Natsuki and I let go of each other's hands and sat down at our desks, waiting for class to begin. It wasn't long before we were both surprised to see a certain someone in the doorway to the classroom.

Okane.

We'd both known that he was in our science class, but he always got there before us. Not only that, but he looked drained. Pitiful, almost. Like he was just going through the movements of something he was bored of or hated. He walked down the aisle between desks, stopping next to mine. Then, without turning his head or changing his expression, he said:

"You're not going to last much longer."

Then he just moved on, acting as if that exchange hadn't even happened. There was no threatening edge to his voice or anything like that. He sounded almost depressed. I looked at Natsuki with a confused expression, but she merely shrugged her shoulders, signifying that she knew just about as much as I did.

With nothing else happening at that moment, the bell rang. You get the idea by now.

*One class later*

"Finally..." Natsuki groaned as the bell rang. "I thought I was going to fall asleep."

'_It wouldn't be the first time.'_ I joked to myself, then instantly felt bad for it.

"So, I guess I'll see you in the cafeteria." I said to Natsuki. She gave me a smile and nodded, waving her hand goodbye as she left. I followed her example and began to leave with her, but one last look behind me stopped me in my tracks.

In the back row, the only other person in the room other than myself, was Okane. He was sitting at his desk with the same dead expression he had before, just staring at his desk. It was a bit of a disturbing sight, to be honest. However, I told myself that I didn't have time to deal with that and just continued on my way, turning my back on him.

*Five minutes later*

I exchanged the things in and out of my locker rapidly, trying to get to the cafeteria as fast as possible. I felt strangely exposed and threatened out in the open like this, so I nearly jumped through the ceiling when I heard sudden footsteps from down the hall approaching me.

I whirled my gaze around and assumed a defensive stance. And once again, in the weirdest encounter so far that day, Okane was standing there at the end of the hallway. While he still had the same expression on his face, there was something different about it. Just barely viewable behind his eyes and the façade of calm, was a hint of inner debate.

It looked like the two halves of his brain were arguing over something. Over an important decision. I couldn't quite understand why he, of all people, had this look in his eyes. Even though I clearly saw this, I still categorized him as how he'd been treating everyone, and responded accordingly:

"Okay, what the fuck do you what?!" I exclaimed. To my surprise, Okane completely ignored my shouts. The strange look in his eyes faded, and he slowly turned and left around the corner, leaving me even more confused than I already was.

'_Goddammit, Alex! Focus on the task at hand!'_ I scolded myself. With a few mental (and physical) slaps to the face, I eventually got everything sorted and started down the hallway towards the cafeteria.

*Five minutes later*

Sayori didn't call out to me when I entered the cafeteria. I know, every word in that sentence sounded more ridiculous than the last. But let me back up about 1.56983 seconds.

I pushed the cafeteria doors open, them flying outward as I entered the cafeteria. My gaze was already locked on the table we all sat at, but to my surprise, no sound came from Sayori. I looked a little closer and found her just looking at me and smiling. I smiled back and waved, beginning my twelve-meter journey towards the table.

I circled around as usual and plopped down in the same spot as usual next to Natsuki and across from Shiro. I was greeted by everyone as usual, but something still seemed unusual. And I'm not saying that in a bad way.

Some of the club members seemed... different compared to the last time we all sat at that table. Yuri was more sociable and less shy, Sayori was a bit less excited and erratic, and Monika was livelier and happier.

It was nice to see how everyone's changed, despite the recent events. As we all talked, I couldn't help but see a look of happiness in Monika's eyes. Even though it'd been a few days since we'd done it, she still seemed relieved at the final survival of all her friends.

"I'm Kirito!" Sayori joked as she held two small french fries.

'_Okay, well, I guess they didn't change all THAT much.'_ I thought as we all laughed.

*Thirty minutes later*

The bell rang, suddenly cutting off our conversations and triggering multiple disappointment sighs. We all reluctantly got up, said our goodbyes, and went our separate ways to our next classes. Well, I say separate ways, but Yuri and I had the same class, so that specific wording doesn't quite apply completely.

"It has been quite a while since we had a chance to talk to one another with just the two of us." Yuri lamented as we exited the cafeteria. "I must thank you for what you did for me on Friday, as I never had the chance to." I gave her a sideways smile.

"I'm just glad you and Mc are alright." I responded. "Although, speaking of which, how have your arms been doing?"

In response, Yuri suddenly stopped in the middle of the strangely empty hallway. She looked around to make sure we weren't being watched, then held up her right arm and slowly began to roll up the sleeve of her school uniform.

Almost every single cut she revealed was gone, now replaced by light scars along her wrist and a bit beyond. I looked at them for a few seconds, before looking back up at Yuri. She gave me a warm smile of thanks, which I promptly returned.

"Mc and Ishi gave me some tips on how to properly take care of my cuts so they'll heal faster." Yuri explained. "They've really changed my life." She began to roll her sleeves back down.

"Yeah, there's a lot of that going on right now." I joked, causing Yuri to giggle.

Yuri finished rolling down her sleeves, and we continued on our way. However, as we continued, I heard rapid footsteps from around the corner in front of us, something that Yuri didn't react to. I stopped suddenly, and Yuri gave me an odd expression as she stopped as well.

"Alex, what's wrong?" She asked me.

Looking back on it, I realize now that my next decision was a pretty stupid one. Because I was the only one out of the two of us who heard it, I chocked it up to just being my imagination.

"Never mind." I responded stupidly. "I thought I heard something."

Yuri gave me a weird look but decided to not press any further. We continued once again, this time not stopping for anything. As we rushed, my mind wandered to what just happened.

'_What were those footsteps?'_ I asked myself. '_Why was I the only one who heard them? Am I going insane?'_

I shook my head to banish the thoughts and focused back on the present.

Yuri and I quickly got to the classroom, entered, and sat down at our desks. Neither of us talked, for some reason. I guess that both of us decided that there was nothing to talk about. So, because of this, we sat in silence until the bell rang.

*One class later*

"See you at the club." I waved goodbye to Yuri as we split up at the door. This day was going by much faster than I thought it would, and I must say, I was quite excited for the Literature Club. It would be nice to have a semblance of 'normal' for once.

I left my thoughts behind as I saw someone in front of me, their back turned to me as they walked down the hall. Even from the back, their identity was unmistakable.

"Hey, Tiffany!" I called out.

Tiffany turned around at the sound of my voice, and her expression lit up. She stopped in her path, waiting for me to catch up. I sped up my pace and quickly caught up with her, both of us transitioning to a walk down the hall.

"I almost didn't understand what you were saying." She admitted. "I've been speaking Japanese so much that it's become my default language."

It took me a moment to understand what she was saying, then remembered that everything I said was translated to the language of whoever I was talking to and vice versa. Out of all the things that had changed about me, that was still the most confusing somehow.

"Yeah." I chuckled, trying to seem casual. "It's kind of weird being the only two people here that speak English."

"It sure is." Tiffany agreed.

There was something off about her when she said that. She sounded unfocused. Confused, even. A glance at her expression supported this hunch. She wasn't fully 'there'.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked her. "You seem... distracted."

Tiffany blinked a few times, only then seeming to take notice of her surroundings. She shook her head to focus herself, then turned to me.

"You remember that thing that happened earlier today?" She questioned. "You know, that thing with Chad and Okane?" I thought back to the event from the front gates, then nodded to her.

"Of course I remember it." I answered. "How could I not?" Tiffany looked back ahead with a neutral expression on her face.

"Is it just me, or was there something off about Okane?" She pointed out. "He didn't say or do anything. He just stood there as if he had nothing to do with it."

I thought about her words, and realized she had a point. Okane hadn't directly partaken in anything Chad did ever since Friday.

"You're right." I said. "And in Science earlier today, he said something to me as he walked past: '_you're not going to last much longer'_."

There was an uneasy silence that filled the next few seconds. For some reason, neither of us wanted to talk or even think about it. Before that day, we'd only really thought of Okane as a bully partner to Chad. However, now, it seemed like there was something going on beneath the surface that we didn't know about.

"L-let's just move on." Tiffany suggested at last. "We're probably just overthinking things." I nodded in agreement, but the subject never left my mind.

There was something so unsettling about it that we hadn't seen at the time. Okane was acting almost scared. But that just raised more questions than answers. Who or what was he scared of? Why is this changing how he acts so drastically? Why is it distancing him from Chad?

One idea I had was that he was taking pity on us but didn't want Chad as his enemy for some reason. But that didn't answer the question of what it was he was scared of. He could be scared of Chad, but that didn't make sense when you bring into account how little Chad offered in the way of intimidation.

'_What the fuck is going on here?'_

*One class later*

As soon as the bell rang, I threw myself out of my seat as fast as I could. It had been four days since I'd read manga with Natsuki, so I was anxious to get there. Before I could get anywhere, however, I was halted by Tiffany's hand snatching the cuff of my right sleeve. I swung my head around to face her.

"Alex, wait." She requested. "Could you maybe show me to the clubroom? I don't exactly remember where it is." She smiled sheepishly. I was originally a bit annoyed at her holding me back, but I couldn't stay mad at her.

"Sure." I answered. "Just let me get my stuff sorted at my locker, okay?"

Tiffany nodded in confirmation, and we began to make our way out into the hallway. Unfortunately, that's when IT happened.

As we walked down the hall, I suddenly felt something snap somewhere in my body. My heartrate jolted up, and my breathing skyrocketed. It was a feeling similar to my panic attacks, but it clearly wasn't that. There was something... extra to this experience. A throbbing pain in my torso.

Before I knew it, these feelings overwhelmed my senses, and I fell to my knees in pain. I clutched my left arm to my torso in hopes to dull the pain, but it was a fruitless endeavor.

"Alex, are you okay?!" I could vaguely hear Tiffany ask from my left.

Suddenly, I became aware of something rising in my throat. I tried to hold it down, but just like everything else going on, it was useless. It quickly reached the top, and I coughed up blood. Not just coughed but vomited up blood. Both at the same time. The pain was overwhelming, but I was just barely able to hear Tiffany's panicked screams:

"Alex! Hang in there!" She frantically exclaimed. "Someone get the nurse! Help him!"

Her voice was eventually drowned out of my thoughts due to the unbearable pain. A small pool of blood had begun to form underneath me, filling me with dread at just how much blood I'd lost. It wasn't long before the pain overwhelmed all my senses, and the world around me went black...

*? ? later*

"_H-hello? W-where am I?"_

"_You have gotten yourselves caught up in something much larger than you." _A female voice replied.

"_Where are you?! Where am I?!"_

"_It is all a lie. There is no leader. Only pretenders."_

"_What are you talking about? This makes no sense!"_

"_Silver or gold? Which side are you on? We are all eager to see..."_

"_Wait, don't go!"_

*? ? later*

"Alex?!"

This was the first thing I heard as I awoke, and the first thing I felt came shortly after as a warm mass wrapped around my upper torso and neck. My other senses slowly followed, my vision coming last.

"N-Natsuki?" Was all I could say, as that was the first thing my eyes revealed to me.

I was back in the school nurse's office for the third time in two weeks. I was laying on (of course) a medical bed. Before any of this mattered to my subconscious, I first noticed that Natsuki was half-laying on me, hugging me with tears in her eyes.

She was sobbing lightly, so I brought my right arm up and laid it down on the back of her head to comfort her. My hand jolted slightly, however, as I noticed that an IV needle was sticking out of my arm. My gaze followed the connected tube to a blood bag propped up on an IV stand, feeding said fluid into my arm.

"What... happened?" I muttered, that thought being the only one on my mind at that very moment.

"Y-you were p-passed out on the g-ground when they found you..." Natsuki answered, her face still buried into my chest. "With all the b-blood around you, I almost thought you were d-d-dead..."

The tears continued to pour out of her eyes and into my cardigan, soaking into the fabric. I continued to rub the back of her head to comfort her. As I did this, everything else soon faded into the background, and all that existed to me was Natsuki and I.

However, that illusion was quickly shattered when the door opened, and in came the nurse. As he noticed me awake with Natsuki crying into my chest, he gave me an oddly cheery smile. A smile that suggested that nothing was wrong, despite the opposite being apparent.

"Hey, so... what happened, exactly?" I asked him. The shock of the previous situation had subsided, and I was left with a feeling of clarity of the current event.

Surprisingly, the nurse's happy façade disappeared, and he gave me a grave frown.

"I'm not completely sure I know how it happened, but it seems like multiple arteries around your lungs burst at the same time." He diagnosed. "In addition, the arteries that burst have seemingly regenerated on the atomic level, which as far as I know, has never been seen before."

What followed was a surprisingly long and awkward silence. In an attempt to end it, the nurse came over and began to remove the IV needle from my right arm.

"You should be fine to go now." He explained as he pulled it out. "You luckily didn't lose that much blood somehow. Anyway, you should be off. I have some paperwork to do." He turned away towards his desk.

Natsuki helped me to my feet, and promptly walked me to the door. My legs were still a bit wobbly, although I couldn't tell if that was from the incident or just me being shaken up. She opened the door and we passed through, me giving the nurse a wave just before the door closed. I turned to go down the hall but was suddenly yanked back by Natsuki.

Before I knew it, she had turned me around, jumped up, and kissed me on the lips. She clung to my body as tightly as she could as tears slowly flowed down her cheeks (and onto mine). My eyes widened in surprise as Natsuki's stayed closed.

Then, just as quickly as it began, Natsuki pulled away and dropped to her feet, throwing her arms around my torso before she spoke:

"Don't scare me like that ever again." She sobbed lightly. I smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere, Nat." I reassured her as she pulled away. "Now, let's get to the clubroom. The others are probably worried about us."

Natsuki wiped away her tears and gave me a confident smile. She nodded, then grabbed onto my hand and walked down the hallway, pulling me with her. I stumbled into the same pace as her somehow and walked with her, literally hand-in-hand.

*Five minutes later*

As we came up onto the doors to the Literature Club, I reached for the door handle, only for Natsuki to grab my sleeve and pull it away.

"What is it, Nat?" I asked her as I turned to her.

She had a concerned expression on her face, and she was pointing down the hall. I followed her guidance, and saw someone standing there, staring at us. The person was unmistakably Chad, but there was something different about him. He looked angry.

And no, that wasn't the difference. Usually, his anger had a clearly chaotic feel. He hated just for the sake of hating. However, there was something off about his expression this time. He looked like he was expecting something that wasn't delivered on.

I put my arm in front of Natsuki in a protective stance, just in case. There was a silent standoff for a few seconds, or at least, that's what it felt like it was to me. Chad was seemingly uninterested in what was going on in front of him, looking as if he were annoyed with something he just found out as opposed to something in front of him.

He suddenly turned to the side and darted out of sight around a corner. I finally let my guard down, albeit confused about the outcome. Without looking, I reached over and grabbed the door handle to the clubroom, turning towards it as I slid it open.

"ALEX!"

I was instantly tackled to the ground by Sayori, who had leaped out of the doorway as soon as it was open. I fell backward, unprepared, and my head slammed down against the floor as I landed on my back.

Next thing I knew, I was laying on the floor face-up with Sayori on top of me. She was hugging my upper torso like I could disappear any second, and she was crying into my cardigan. It wasn't dissimilar to the situation I'd been in with Natsuki back in the nurse's office when I woke up.

Rubbing the back of her head to calm Sayori down (which didn't do much), I looked past her at the doorway to see everyone else staring down at me, concerned. Mc, Monika, Yuri, Tiffany, and Shiro were all there. I turned my attention back to Sayori, who hadn't changed their action at all.

"Okay, Sayori. I think that's enough." I tried to push her off, but she clung to me incessantly.

Finally, probably due to how awkward the situation was getting, Monika walked forward and began to pry Sayori off me. How she didn't need a crowbar to do that, I will never know.

"Alex, are you alright?" Yuri asked me as I hoisted myself to my feet. "Tiffany told us all what had happened, and..." She trailed off, unable to find the words.

"I'm fine, actually." I answered. "Nothing wrong with me now." Almost instantly, Tiffany jumped in:

"No, you aren't 'fine'!" She exclaimed, startling everyone else. "The floor was covered with blood! What the hell happened?!"

"Your guess is as good as mine." I shrugged. "The nurse was able to figure out what happened, but he doesn't know HOW it happened. Without any clear cause for it, what's the point of worrying?"

Tiffany was about to argue back, but Yuri walked up behind her and floated her hand onto Tiffany's shoulder.

"This arguing will get us nowhere." She softly stated. "Let us just accept Alex's explanation and move on. If there was anything wrong, he would tell us, right?"

Tiffany thought about her words for a few moments, then nodded in reluctant agreement. I was quite surprised by Yuri's recent calls to action. It just went to show how much she'd grown in the past couple of weeks.

"Now, then." Monika got everyone's attention. "Let's get back into the clubroom. We wouldn't want to waste the rest of the meeting, now would we?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, then began towards the clubroom. Monika waited for everyone else to go inside before herself. However, as Natsuki and I approached last, she held out an arm to block us from entering.

"Just so I don't have to explain it later, we won't be sharing poems anymore." She told us, shocking Natsuki.

"But why?" Natsuki asked.

"With how many members we have now, it would take up too much of our free time." Monika explained. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to Sayori. Sorry about that." She turned around and entered the clubroom, leaving Natsuki and I alone outside.

"So, uh..." I muttered, unable to gauge how Natsuki felt. "You alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine." She answered, surprisingly chipper. "Come on, let's go read manga."

She reached over and gripped my hand, pulling me with her as she bouncily walked through the doors to the clubroom. She had a wide, cheery smile on her face. I hadn't expected her to be so comfortable with showing our relationship in public like that, so I can safely say that I was pleasantly surprised.

As we passed through into the clubroom, I took in the atmosphere of the familiar space. Despite how little time I'd actually spent in that room, it had already become a sort of 'happy place' to me. I never had a place I felt so connected to before.

Despite the familiarity, there was clearly something different. The new members, Shiro and Tiffany, were now there. Shiro had pulled up a desk next to Mc and Yuri and was now showing them some sort of visual novel game on his laptop. Surprisingly, both of them seemed quite interested in it, staring intently at the screen as it showed the speech of a girl wearing a green shirt and a tan, very wide skirt with hazel eyes and light-brown hair.

Meanwhile, Tiffany was sitting at the table with Monika and Sayori, speaking intently. They seemed to be deep in conversation, so we chose not to disturb them. Natsuki continued to lead me towards the closet, which we promptly entered. Natsuki instantly made a beeline towards the manga on the shelf and began to sift through it for the next issue.

"Is that what I think it is?"

The sudden voice emanating from behind me startled both Natsuki and I, causing us to jump. I whirled my head around and came face-to-face with an awe-stricken Tiffany. Once my heart attack was over, I gladly spoke my complaint:

"I'm pretty sure my heart just exploded!" I complained. "Warn me next time!"

Tiffany meekly gave me an apologetic look, then pointed towards the shelf behind me.

"Sorry about that." She apologized. "But I recognize that manga series. Is that Parfait Girls?"

"Yeah, it is." Natsuki responded without missing a beat. "What about it?"

Tiffany suddenly looked strangely excited, a spark of joy appearing in her eyes.

"I used to watch the anime all the time when I was a kid!" She recalled excitedly. "Hey, could I read it?"

Natsuki froze and stared at the manga collection, seeming to have a serious internal debate. With a deep sigh, she eventually fished the first issue out of the box and walked over to Tiffany, who's excited glare had only gotten more intense.

"Don't rip or crease it, got it?" Natsuki ordered. Tiffany nodded rapidly.

"You got it!"

Natsuki handed her the issue, which Tiffany took graciously. She backed out of the closet with a friendly wave, then turned away and left us. Back alone together in the closet, Natuski continued ruffling through the manga collection, searching for the next issue.

"There it is." She said at last, pulling an issue out of the box. "Come on." She walked past me and waved me over, prompting me to follow.

We quickly found ourselves in our normal spot, sitting together underneath the windowsill. Natsuki huddled up closer to me than she'd been before, putting an arm around my waist and holding me there. I looked at her and smiled.

"You know, you would've never been this close to me a week ago." I joked. Natsuki gave me a sly smile.

"Oh, yeah?" She taunted. "Well, how about this?"

Quicker than I would've thought possible for her, Natsuki climbed around me, ending up on my lap. My face instantly heated up to the temperature of the fucking sun, and Natsuki turned around to give me a playful smile.

"T-that wasn't an invitation!" I stuttered, causing Natsuki to giggle.

"So?" She inquired. "Are you complaining?"

I stayed silent, not knowing exactly how to respond to that. At that moment, there was only really one thing I was focusing on:

'_Down, boy.' _I thought. '_Stay down.'_

*Thirty minutes later*

After what felt like an eternity of reading manga and struggling to control my 'blood flow' (seriously, now I knew how Relapse Mc felt), I was finally saved by the voice of Monika calling throughout the clubroom:

"Okay, everyone!" She announced. "It's almost time to leave! It won't be until next week that we start to have club activities again, so enjoy your extended private time with your loved ones, Natsuki."

She said that last portion in a joke-accusatory tone. Everyone's heads snapped to our position, and Natsuki pouted in disapproval as she reluctantly climbed off me.

'_Oh, thank god.'_ I breathed a sigh of relief as Natsuki climbed up off my lap, relieving me of any and all pressure in that region, external and internal.

I followed her example, getting up to my feet and closing the manga. Before I could even plan out my next move, Natsuki waved me along as she began to approach the closet. Powering through my confusion, I followed behind her.

"So, what are we doing here?" I asked her as we got into the closet.

"We're going to be bringing my manga collection back to Mc's place." Natsuki answered. "The only reason why I kept it here in the first place was to keep it a secret from... h-him..." Natsuki shivered, remembering the abusive person who called himself her father.

Worried for her mental state, I walked closer behind her and placed my hand on her shoulder to comfort her. She brought her right hand up and rested it on mine, holding it in place. We would've stayed like that for quite a long time if it weren't for the sound of someone clearing their throat behind us.

Both Natsuki and I turned around to see Shiro and Tiffany waiting there, an uncomfortable expression plastered on both of their faces.

"Um... the bell just rang." Tiffany mentioned. "You weren't coming out, so we came in to check on you."

"We'll be out in a second." Natsuki stated. "We're just grabbing my manga collection."

Natsuki turned back to the shelf which the boxes sat on but didn't move after that. She looked like she was thinking, although not getting anywhere with it. After a few more uncomfortable seconds of silence, Natsuki turned back to the three of us.

"Tiffany, Shiro, would you two be okay with carrying a couple of these?" She asked the two aforementioned people.

They both nodded in agreement. Natsuki gave them a gracious smile as she lifted one of the boxes off the shelf and handed it to Tiffany. She did the same thing with Shiro, and then me. Finally, taking a box of her own off the shelf, she pointed us out of the closet.

The rest of the club members were waiting by the door as we exited the closet. Mc gave us a strange look when he saw that we were all carrying manga boxes, but quickly worked it out in his head.

"Let's be off." Monika said as we reached the doors.

She slid the doors open and stepped aside to allow everyone else passage. It wasn't long before the eight of us were all walking down the hallways of the school. There weren't many students left over in the school at this time, but the few that were still there gave us some funny looks when they saw the manga boxes we were carrying. For some reason, I didn't mind.

Although that may have something to do with the fact that I had a strange feeling that I was being watched. The entire time we walked down the halls, I was scanning the area to see if my feeling was right. My eyes were constantly telling me we weren't being watched, but my brain said the exact opposite.

Eventually, I just concluded that my eyes were telling the truth. At least, for the time being. I still couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. Even so, I just gave up with paying attention to that feeling as we approached the front doors.

The doors flew open, and the sunlight from outside spilled into the hallway and over our party. As we passed through to outside, I quickly noticed how few people there were. It was something I would've just ignored normally, but with the current situation as it was, it was a bit dangerous to be out in the open like that.

Despite this, everyone else seemed quite relaxed. They either didn't notice the emptiness of the area, or they just didn't care.

I wasn't really 'panicking' per se, but I wasn't exactly calm either. We were out in the open. We were exposed. Vulnerable. Because of this, I couldn't stop worrying the entire way down the road.

*Thirty minutes later*

I breathed a sigh of relief as we came up to Mc's property. I saw a flash of movement from behind a window on the first floor as we approached, and the door swung open when we turned onto the path leading up to said door. Behind it stood Ishi, holding both the door and a welcoming smile on her face.

She greeted each of us warmly as we passed by her, holding the door open for us as well. I was oddly calmed by this, despite my fear that we were out in the open mere moments ago.

"Welcome back!" The voice of Keisatsu called out from the living room.

After discarding anything I didn't need at the door (giving the box of manga I was carrying to Ishi), I walked further into the house and entered the living room. Keisatsu was sitting in his armchair, watching some sort of crime show on the TV. I walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder to get his attention. He paused what he was watching and turned around to me.

"Isn't it a bit dangerous for us to be walking back here on completely empty streets?" I asked him. "What's stopping someone from attacking us in the open like that?" Keisatsu stared blankly and responded without pause.

"Sound travels further than you think." He simply stated. "If one of you screamed, someone would be bound to hear it and come see what's happening." I considered his words for a moment, which made another question surface.

"Then why do we have to leave in the morning when the roads are the most crowded?" I inquired. Keisatsu opened his mouth to explain, but no words came out. He stared awkwardly for a few moments before answering.

"Good point." Was all he said. "I honestly don't know why I made you do that."

I laughed at his confusion, and he clapped me on the back jokingly as I turned to leave. I immediately heard the sound of him continuing to watch his show and began towards the sliding glass door that lead out to the backyard.

On the wall next to the door were the two katana's, both propped up against the wall in their scabbards. The swords had been cleaned as of earlier that day, most definitely because they had been laying unused in Hiran's house for god-knows how long.

In addition, after looking a bit closer at them, we had learned that both swords were plated with gold and silver as opposed to painted. The gold sword had always felt a bit heavier in my hand, but not so much that I would've noticed that beforehand.

I grabbed both swords by the scabbards as I passed by them, carrying them with me into the backyard. Once again, I was going to train myself to use them better. Despite my already-effective sword skills, I felt it best to continue practicing just in case. I couldn't just let myself be carried by the abilities I was given by Monika.

"So, you want to do a bit of practice dueling?"

Speak of the devil, there she was. As I passed through the doorway onto the back porch, I swung my head to the left in the direction of her voice. There, sitting on a lawn chair, was Monika. She was looking at me with a smile on her face, and I was left confused as to how she'd gotten out there without me knowing.

"Sure." I answered, disregarding my confusion. I thought it better to just not ask. There were still a lot of things about Monika I didn't know, but as it stood, I didn't really care at the moment.

Monika's smile widened a bit as she pushed herself off the lawn chair. She stood up straight and stretched her arms behind her back, limbering up for the training about to follow. With her hair loose and falling down her shoulders and back, she looked like a completely different person.

"Hey, I'm still the same person." Monika joked, seeming to read my mind.

"W-what?!" I sputtered. "H-how did you..." Monika giggled at my shocked state.

"I'm psychic." She answered jokingly.

'_Yeah. Sure, Sayaka.'_ I thought. I desperately wanted to speak my mind, but I was able to restrain myself.

"I wouldn't doubt it." I said instead, holding out the gold sword for her to take.

She clutched the scabbard strongly and I let go, putting my free hand on the handle of my silver sword as we passed onto the lawn. We each stepped a meter or two from the other, then faced each other with one hand on the handle of our respective swords.

With a quick nod from both of us, we silently declared the training duel to begin, and we whipped our swords out of their scabbards. We traded a few strikes, and I used this opportunity to 'strike' up a small conversation.

"You know, in the past couple of weeks, everyone sure has changed." I pointed out as I blocked a swing from my left. "Natsuki, Sayori, Yuri, Mc, and you have all changed so much from how I remember you guys."

"But what about you?" Monika asked as she aimed another overhead swing.

"What do you mean?" I rebounded, blocking said swing and spinning my blade upward.

"Well, everyone else had pretty much gone past their trauma." Monika explained as she sidestepped to avoid. "You helped Sayori with her depression, Yuri with her cutting, and Natsuki with her dad."

"So?" I continued as we rotated around, waiting for an opening. "What are you getting at?"

"Well... it's just... I feel like you're kind of disregarding your own issues." She sounded extremely worried. "I know I shouldn't be asking this, but... wouldn't your friends and family want you to get the support you need?"

This sentence triggered something inside me, and I lost all concentration on the fight. Before I knew it, Monika had knocked the sword out of my hand and I officially lost the duel. But I didn't care. I just kept on staring straight ahead, lost in thought. I could vaguely feel a few tears flowing down my cheeks, but that was pretty much it.

"Alex? Are you okay?" I heard Monika ask.

'_I seem to be getting asked that quite a lot.'_ I thought jokingly.

My eyes finally focused on what was in front of me, and what was in front of me was Monika, staring at me with a very concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah, I'm okay..." I muttered, wiping away the tears. "I'm just not ready to tell them yet. They have enough to worry about as it is."

Our conversation was suddenly cut short when we heard a happy call from the back porch.

"Hey, you two!" Sayori greeted us from said porch. "What are you doing?"

"Just doing a bit of training!" Monika answered. Sayori suddenly put on a serious expression.

"Ishi wants to talk to Alex!" She explained. "She says it's important!" She then backed up inside and slid the door shut without leaving room for another word.

Monika and I looked at each other, silently agreeing to the demands. We slid our swords back into their respective scabbards and began towards the door, Monika handing me the golden sword as we reached the porch.

As we entered the living room through the glass door, I turned to the wall to put the two swords back down. Strangely, I had a harder time of this than I expected. It was like my body didn't want to let go of them, despite my mind ordering it to let go. Eventually, I was able to part with the swords and propped them up against the wall once more.

The living room was once again full, everyone sitting on the couches and armchairs to watch TV. On the television, some sort of anime was on where a guy with weird green and white hair was doing something next to a hut in the middle of a forest. I couldn't take in any more information than that, because the sudden, strict voice of Ishi targeted my attention.

"Follow me." She ordered as she stood up from her armchair.

Ishi started towards the kitchen as everyone kept their eyes on the TV, ignoring the two of us. Not knowing what else to do, I followed her nervously. I had no idea what she could've wanted to talk to me about, so I was a bit anxious it had something to do with the incident that happened in the hallway earlier that day.

We quickly entered the kitchen, stopping next to the table in the center of the room. Ishi turned around and looked at me with a half-worried half-serious expression glued to her face.

"Tiffany told me about what happened in the halls today." She explained, making my heart sink a bit. "And I think I know what happened."

"Wait, what?" I asked. Ishi held up a hand in a 'stop' gesture.

"After hearing Tiffany's account and what the nurse said, I think you may have been poisoned."

I was shocked. Well, not that shocked, but I didn't expect someone to go to that conclusion so quickly.

"Uh... what makes you think that?" I inquired, trying not to show how nervous I was.

"There is only one thing that could've made your arteries burst like that, and it's a specific type of poison." She explained. "However, judging by how quickly they patched up, I'd say that you were administered an antidote at the exact same time as the poison."

I could barely process what she was saying, because it was just so unbelievable. I tuned out everything in my surroundings just to understand exactly what she was saying.

I was poisoned by someone, but that same someone decided to mix in the antidote at the exact same time? It was weird, but I was talking to a medical expert, so I couldn't deny it in the slightest. Even so, the more I thought about it, the less it made sense. Funnily enough, there was only one question that was the full source of this confusion:

"But... why would someone do that?"

"I don't know." Ishi answered.

"But I have a theory." The voice of Keisatsu brought up from the doorway leading to the living room.

Ishi looked between the two of us with a slightly startled expression, then decided the best course of action was to leave the room with a small "bye". When she was gone, Keisatsu walked up to me.

"To put it short, I think that one of the members of that cult we talked about poisoned your food but mixed in the antidote as well so you would survive." He explained.

"Again, why would they do that?" I asked, getting a bit impatient.

"Because that cult member is actually on our side." He said, stunning me silent. "There must be a member of that cult who is acting against them without them knowing. He's a _traitor_."

I was too surprised to speak, move, or react in any way. I didn't know what to make of this. My mind was spinning by this point, and I just couldn't focus on anything. Sensing my internal distress, Keisatsu put on a smile and clapped me on the back.

"But don't worry about that right now." He said, trying to cheer me up. "Now come on. Let's get back to the others." He took a step behind me and gave me a small push, prompting me to begin walking towards the living room.

In my stunned stupor, I somehow made my way to the closest couch and plopped down next to Natsuki. I continued to stare straight ahead in confusion, until I felt a small tug on my right sleeve. I maneuvered my gaze to my right to see Natsuki looking up at me with another concerned expression.

Seeing Natsuki like that yanked me back to the real world, and my surroundings came back to me. I gave her a warm smile to reassure her that I was fine and looked up to the TV. I wasn't really even paying attention to what was on. I was instead lost in thought, thinking about what the future had in store for me. The previous distress was completely dissolved, and I was filled with a comforting confidence.

'_If there's really someone helping us from the other side, I'm sure as hell not going to lose hope.'_

Not This Time...

End of Chapter 10


	15. Transcript 3

Wednesday, April 10, 2022

22:14

*Series of bangs and cracks, punctuated by screams of pain*

Woman: You failure!

*Another bang and scream of pain*

Boy: I did nothing wrong!

Woman: LIES!

*One last bang and scream of pain*

Woman: You were meant to end him, so why is he still alive?!

Boy: *Slightly crying in pain* I don't know!

?: That is enough.

Woman: *-*&$(! I-I did not know that you were-

?: Silence! I have just gotten word that our friend has awoken. Go... introduce him...

Woman: Yes, my lord.

*Quiet clicks*

Woman: You! Come with me.

Boy: Y-yes milady.

*Continuous footsteps*

Boy: H-he is through here?

Woman: Yes, now be respectful. He is above you.

*Door creaking open, followed by more footsteps*

Middle-aged man: Who the fuck are you people?! And where is-

Woman: At ease, Mr. *&$& ^*&*. We are not your enemies. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Middle-aged man: What the fuck is going on?

Woman: We are an organization devoted to ridding the world of those who are unworthy. I do believe you have had an encounter with one of these people before?

Middle-aged man: So... you're a cult, is what you're saying.

Woman: I prefer the term... protectors.

Middle-aged man: Why did you help me?

Woman: Getting right to the point, I see. Well, Mr. *&$& ^*&*, I believe that we can work together in a way that benefits us both.

Middle-aged man: Okay... I'm listening.

Woman: I'll cut right to the chase here. We have been having trouble with the same person you have. If we work together to... "disappear" him, then both of us will profit. What do you say?

Middle-aged man: ...You're talking about that fucking Canadian kid, aren't you?!

Woman: Mr. *&$& ^*&*, please calm down.

Middle-aged man: I will tear him limb from limb, even worse than what he did to me! I will take back what I own!

Woman: Securi-

Middle-aged man: Stop!

*Long pause*

Middle-aged man: You have yourself a deal, lady. However, I want one other thing in return.

Woman: What is it?

Middle-aged man: I want that little whore back.

Boy: *Silent whimpering*

Woman: You may go, now. Me and this man have much to talk about.

Boy: O-of course, milady.

*Footsteps*

Boy: *Whispering to self* What do I do?

*End log*


	16. Transcript 4

Thursday, April 11, 2022

15:03

Woman: Report?

Boy 2: Nothing to report, milady. We had no encounters nor attempts on his life.

Woman: I wasn't talking to you. You, what is YOUR report?

Boy 3 on computer message: They still suspect nothing. Soon, we will have what is owed to us.

Man: I am not questioning you, milady, but I'm not completely sure this is of our best interest. Isn't the boy's death our main goal?

Woman: Hmm. So you DO have some semblance of a brain in that head of yours. To answer your question, yes. The boy's death is our main goal. However, this object is of equal value.

Middle-aged man: What did you say this thing was for?

Woman: It will allow us to bring him back to us, and our mission shall finally come to fruition.

Boy 3 on computer message: Back to the task at hand... the plan commences tomorrow, yes?

Woman: Precisely. You know what to do. Kill him. And if the others try to stop you, kill them too. I trust the weapon I sent you will be sufficient?

Boy 3 on computer message: Leave it to me. Over and out.

*Clicking of keyboard keys*

Boy: M-milady?

Woman: What is it?

Boy: Um... never mind.

*Short pause*

Woman: Very well. Let us go. You stay here and clean up. It's all you're good for anyway.

*Footsteps leaving*

*Long pause*

Boy: I can't let this continue... Alex... Monika... Natsuki... please look out.

*End log*


	17. Chapter 11: Fragility Part 1

Chapter 11: Fragility (Part 1)

Friday, April 12, 2022

08:15

Good vs evil. Hope vs despair. Dust vs Grimm. These are all examples of conflicts from history, whether they be real or fiction. Wars are fought, people are killed. However, on that day, there was a new conflict to add to the list: Sayori vs pancake.

But perhaps I should back up a little. Everyone was in the living room, sitting in their usual spots while eating breakfast and watching TV. As should be obvious by now, Mc and I had forgone the general cereal for breakfast by this point. With so many people living under one roof for the time being, a large breakfast was pretty much required.

Anyway, there we were, just eating peacefully, when I began to hear a sound of gagging from the other couch. A glance to said couch revealed the source to be Sayori, choking on a pancake. And it wasn't just a small piece. Somehow, Sayori had shoved a whole-ass pancake into her mouth. How? I still have no idea.

It didn't take long for her to figure out the concept of drinking to wash it down, so the situation eventually cleared itself up. Now, you may be wondering why I chose to create such a detailed intro just for something so minor. Well, the reason behind that is because it was a better option than starting this chapter off with 'we were sitting in the living room'.

Another thing you may be wondering is why I didn't tell the story of Thursday. Well, the reason behind that is simple. Nothing happened on Thursday. Same situation with the previous Saturday, but the exact opposite situation with the current day.

Friday was the day that... IT happened. Something that would change my life forever and turn my world upside down. No, not only that. It would destroy my world, fix it, flip it sideways, and turn back time to force me to remember my past. What is that which happens, you ask? Well, you'll just have to wait and see...

In addition, there was this feeling of danger that lurked within the back of my mind. There was nothing obvious that could have caused it, but it was there, nonetheless. No cross-sight vision, no warning, no nothing.

"Hello? Earth to Alex?" The voice of a frustrated Natsuki tore my thoughts away from me, leaving me confused outside of my inner mind.

"Yeah?" Was the first thing that shot out of my mouth.

"Everyone's leaving. You looked like you were in some sort of catatonic state." Natsuki explained.

I looked around in my moderated-confused stupor to confirm what she'd just said. The only two people in the room were now Natsuki and I, giving the room an oddly abandoned look. Without thinking twice, I instantly got into gear and stood up with my now-empty plate in my hand.

It wasn't long before said plate was in the kitchen and Natsuki and I were at the front door with everyone else. Just like the previous days of that week, our group was a collage of different personalities and appearances. Back in my world, it would be quite strange to see a group such as our own walking down the streets.

My body went on autopilot as we left the house, and my mind was focused on something completely different. I thought about how quickly I'd come to accept this new life. Just two weeks before, I had been swimming in my own tears, no hope for a future. Now, I was truly happy with my life. Even thought there were still some hardships in our way, I felt a strong sense of completion.

As our group travelled down the street in the sea of people, I found myself smiling all the way.

*Thirty minutes later*

We once again approached the school building, it's tall structure again casting a shadow over our party. There was a distinct feeling of oppression that came over me as we walked beneath the shadow over the school grounds. The light of completion was still bright inside me, but the darkness of said oppression was beginning to grow over it.

It appeared I wasn't the only one who felt this way, as I quickly noticed that everyone else had begun to pick up their pace as they walked. It felt like no time had passed between entering the school gates and entering the school itself. In fact, this feeling of time quickly passing never ended as we parted ways and spread out down different hallways.

*Five minutes later*

"Calm the fuck down, Alex." I told myself as I dug through my locker. "Just one more day, then you'll be safe for two."

But these words of reassurance to myself didn't mean much. The feeling of strange worry never left, leaving me constantly anxious at what could happen next. Anything could happen at any time. There were no safe spots in this school. For all I knew, someone could be watching me right-

"Who's there?!" I called out as I whirled around to my left. However, there was no one there. No matter how long I stared down that hall or how hard I listened, I couldn't detect anyone or anything down there.

'_Must've just been my imagination.'_ I thought. '_God, I'm getting paranoid.'_

I turned back to my locker and closed the door, having just grabbed the last of what I needed. It was at that moment that I suddenly became aware of a presence off to my right.

Out of the corner of my eye, to the point where it had no distinguishable shape, were a collection of colours. It had the general form of a human, so I quickly turned towards it and came face-to-face with a very specific blonde-haired asshole: Okane.

As soon as I processed who it was that I was staring at, I corrected my expression to one of anger. Okane had a neutral expression on his face, just as the days before. However, unlike those previous days, there was something else in there. I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but the clear feeling of neutrality in Okane threw me off.

"I understand it if you don't trust me." He said, oddly sentimental. "I understand that you probably really hate me right now, and that's fine. All I want you to do is listen."

He stopped there, probably waiting for a response. I kept the look of anger on my face, but it was merely a façade by this point. Something about the way that Okane was talking to me confused me. It was almost like... he was trying to negotiate with me. After a short but heated debate in my mind, I let go of the shield of anger and spoke:

"Fine. What do you want?" I asked him, making sure to keep my guard at least a little bit up.

"Someone will be waiting to ambush you in the Literature Club." He explained. "Wait about five minutes in the cafeteria before going."

He then left without another word, confusing me to the point of speechlessness. I felt compelled to call out after him to ask him what the hell he just said, but by the time I'd opened my mouth to speak, he was already gone. Unaware of what else to do, I simply turned around and started towards my math class, Okane's strange words of presumable warning echoing in my skull.

*Five minutes later*

The confusion that set itself in my mind alongside Okane's words hadn't gone by the time I entered the math class, so I was just as stunned as the previous times when the refracted light from Shiro's glasses was shone into my eyes again. On the bright (hehe) side, the shock of said event knocked me back to reality.

Still confused, but at least aware, I sauntered over to my desk and sat down next to Shiro, who was giving me that cheeky grin he always gave me.

"Seriously, stop doing that." I complained quietly, probably a bit more forcefully that I'd intended.

"C'mon, Alex! Lighten up!" He joked. I groaned at the terrible pun, as if I hadn't just made a similar one two paragraphs ago. Seeing how not amused I was, Shiro leaned back in his chair.

"So, are you excited for the club meeting today?" He asked nonchalantly. I froze, puzzled by this sudden, strange question.

'_Shiro is just asking a random question.'_ I told myself. '_He's just trying to lighten the mood- oh, goddammit now he's got ME doing it!'_ Putting aside my self-anger, I chose to respond seriously:

"I guess you could say that." I answered. "What kind of question is that, anyway?"

"You're just excited to read with Nat, aren't you?" He inquired strangely, ignoring my question. I was beginning to get weirded out by him a bit, which was really saying something. Luckily, the punctuation of the bell ringing stopped our conversation in its tracks.

"I'll talk to you later." I told Shiro, seemingly disappointing him.

I turned my attention towards the front of the room as class started, the event with Okane now a distant memory thanks to my weird-ass conversation with Shiro.

*One class later*

I breathed a sigh of relief as the bell finally rang. Going as fast as I could, I picked up everything on my desk and stood up, starting towards the door to the hallway. During the entirety of math class, Shiro had been pestering me with questions in between all the teacher's sentences. Every. Single. One.

It was normal for him to be a bit socially awkward, but this was a bit much. However, once again, I didn't really think of it too much. I had been ignoring Shiro for the majority of the lesson, so my thoughts wandered back to the strange message Okane said to me.

Although, I never got anywhere with it. No matter what angle I looked at it from, it just didn't make sense. I was tempted to believe that Okane was the mole that Keisatsu mentioned two days prior, but that just didn't make sense when you bring into account the fact that, as far as I could tell, he never gave the warning to anyone else.

I continued to be puzzled by this thought up until I heard a high-pitched, cheery voice cut through my imagination.

"Hey, Alex!" Natsuki happily greeted me. "You ready to go?" I smiled at her, the answer being quite obvious.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I joked. Natsuki responded with a warm smile and a handhold, the two of us walking down the hall together.

I was tempted to ask her if she'd had a similar run-in with Okane as I had, but I ultimately decided against it. If she had, she would've already told me. In addition, if I asked her and she hadn't, then it'd be quite difficult to explain myself.

Suddenly, I heard a deep sigh coming from Natsuki.

"Alex... do you ever feel like there's something missing?" She asked me. I didn't quite know how to respond.

"What do you mean?" I rebounded. Natsuki let out another sigh, this one not as deep.

"Ever since we got together, we haven't really DONE anything." She explained. "It just feels like our relationship isn't... real." I quickly looked around, confirming that we were currently in an unoccupied area of the school.

"Okay, how about this?" I started. "Once this is all over, how about I take you to a nice restaurant? Nice food, good service, and a perfect environment for our second date. How about it?"

Natsuki thought for a moment, considering my offer. Although, her answer was instantly obvious.

"I'd really like that." She responded, pressing up against me a bit as we walked.

I let go of her hand and held her close for a few moments before we turned the next corner, switching back to just hand holding as we entered a more populated area. The promise of a date seemed to reenergize her a bit, and a happy skip formulated as she walked.

I was lost in the moment as we continued walking, thinking of what my future with Natsuki could hold for us. Even as we entered the science room, when we parted our hands, my thoughts never wavered from our future.

*One class later*

I jumped slightly as the bell signifying the end of science rang. I had been lost in the lesson, trying my best to catch up with the teacher. My focus was through the roof, making the ringing that much more sudden.

"I'll see you in the cafeteria, Alex." Natsuki waved goodbye as she stood up.

"Same to you, Nat." I responded. Natsuki gave me another cheer-filled smile as she walked away, going out of sight as she passed through the doorway.

With Natsuki gone from the classroom, I steadily and calmly turned around to face the back of the classroom. However, there was no one other than me in that room. I had hoped that I could get some more information out of Okane about what he'd said to me earlier, but it seemed like that wouldn't be an option.

"Well, shit." I said to myself. With a sigh of disappointment, I picked up my stuff and started towards the cafeteria.

*Five minutes later*

I pushed my way through the double doors to the cafeteria, my bento box in hand, and instantly made a beeline to the table where the rest of the Literature Club was sitting. I didn't even take any time to scan the room beforehand. I had been in that room so many times that I basically had the floor plan mapped out by then.

"Hey, Alex!"

"Greetings, Alex."

"Hi, Alex."

Everyone greeted me as I approached the table, each sounding quite happy that everyone was there. Except... that wasn't the case. As I sat down in my usual spot, I suddenly realized that one person was missing.

"Where's Shiro?" I inquired as I opened my bento box. Everyone shrugged except for Natsuki.

"He texted me saying that his teacher is forcing him to catch up on some work in the classroom." She answered. I let out a small "oh, okay", but that was all anyone said in response.

With that situation over, everyone turned their attention to their food. But that's not to say we ate in silence. In between the eating, someone would always try to slip a conversation in. I was surprised by how nonchalant we all were, considering the current situation. It was like those calm scenes in movies where, amidst all the chaos, there were still people laughing together in their own homes.

However, as our conversations continued, I was beginning to be reminded of... _them_. As we talked, the memories wriggled out from the back of my mind. My thoughts were quickly overtaken with the memories of my friends and family. They spun and twirled throughout my brain, expanding until they were the only thing I could think about.

"Alex, are you alright?" Tiffany asked me. I dimly sensed the world around me, and I was quickly finding out that my breathing was speeding up involuntarily. I was sweating profusely, and my heartrate was going up.

'_Goddammit, not again!'_ I internally complained with what control over my thoughts I had left.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom really quick." I quickly said, stumbling to my feet.

I felt discombobulated as I made my way across the cafeteria. My steps were uneven, my body felt disconnected, and I was just barely able to see straight. I probably looked like an idiot, stumbling through the cafeteria like that, but I wasn't even aware enough to notice that.

I burst through the double doors to the hallway and went to the nearest bathroom a bit down the hall. The world was going too fast and too slow at the same time. My brain felt like I'd gotten into the bathroom quite quickly, but my body felt like it'd been an eternity.

I stumbled over to the nearest sink, just barely catching myself on the edge to prevent falling over. I instantly turned on the cold water and cupped my hands under the faucet. Once they were full, I brought my face down and splashed the cold water on in hopes that it'd shock me back to reality.

I suddenly found myself back in control of my breathing, so I promptly did my best to slow it down. I took slow, deep breaths and listened as my heart also slowed down to normal speed. I took a few more deep breaths to make sure, then breathed a sigh of relief.

'_Thank god.'_ I thought to myself.

I then turned to leave, but suddenly stopped myself. There was an approaching voice, and it was VERY familiar.

"Not this fucking time..." It was the voice of Okane.

I quickly backed away silently and quickly, hiding behind the end of the stalls. I peeked around the edge, looking for Okane. Then, I saw him pass around the corner into the bathroom. I instantly brought my head behind cover and listened.

"I can't let them die... I can't let them die..." He repeated to himself.

He clearly sounded distressed, almost insane. There was an edge to his voice that made me almost pity him, despite not knowing what it was he was talking about. I heard him turning on the faucet, then some splashes implying he was in a similar situation to how I was a few moments ago. I listened closer to hear him over the water.

"She's innocent. They can't do this." He rambled. "Why the fuck was I born into a cult? Alex… Monika… Natsuki… please look out…"

'_What the fuck?!'_ I thought. '_Is… is Okane from the cult that's been trying to kill us?' _My mind was filled with nothing but confusion, but that confusion was suddenly put second, as Okane began to speak again.

"Goddammit, I've been around that recording machine so much I've started talking to myself." Okane complained. I continued listening, but he said nothing more. Probably because he'd realized that anyone could've been eavesdropping.

Eventually, I began to hear footsteps leaving, signifying that I was now the only one in the bathroom. With bated breath, I slowly and carefully crept out from behind cover. Once I was sure the coast was completely clear, I left the bathroom and went back to the cafeteria.

As I walked down the short stretch of hall that connected the bathroom and the cafeteria, I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd heard back there. There was now no doubt that Okane was a member of the cult that was trying to kill us, but the things he said in the bathroom made no sense if that was the case. Then, I suddenly had an epiphany.

'_He's the mole!'_ I internally discovered. _'He's the one who gave me the antidote! When he told me about the clubroom earlier, he was warning me of another attack!' _But that just made another question arise.

'_But... why is he helping us?'_ I wondered. '_When I first came here, he was the same as Chad. So why-'_

"Hey, man. You alright?" Mc's voice of concern interrupted my thoughts. Without even noticing it, I had already reached the cafeteria and was now sitting down next to Natsuki once more.

With this new knowledge of Okane, I knew exactly what to do. Up until now, I'd been keeping my suspicions to myself about everything. Right now, I had no choice but to tell the others. All their lives were on the line. So, ignoring Mc's question, I looked around to ensure that no one could hear us, and leaned in.

"Listen, I think I just found something out about the cult that's been trying to kill us." I said quietly, just loud enough so everyone at the table could hear. Everyone silently gasped.

"W-what do you mean?" Yuri inquired.

"I think I know who the mole is." I explained. "It's-"

"Does this have anything to do with the note I found in my locker just before lunch?" Natsuki interrupted me. I stared at her, the others mirroring my actions.

"What note?" I asked, prompting Natsuki to reach into her backpack and pull out a sheet of lined paper.

"This note." She answered simply, handing me the paper.

The note was clearly recently written, demonstrated by the lack of smudge marks and wrinkles in the page. The handwriting was neat, but nothing out of the ordinary. I carefully took the page from Natsuki and began to read it out-loud to the rest of the group, making sure to not read it too loudly.

"_I know you have no reason to trust me, so I've decided to write this note instead of tell you personally. Today, at the Literature Club clubroom, there will be someone waiting to ambush you and your friends. Before going there, wait in the cafeteria for five minutes with the others before going. Alex will know what's going on but wait until he brings me up to show the others this letter. Things are about to reach the climax, so be prepared and watch out."_

I looked up from the note as I finished reading to read the expressions of everyone else. They all had the same look of interest on their faces, including Natsuki. However, there was a small hint of fear behind their eyes as well.

"Well? What does this mean to you, Alex?" Mc asked when the silence got too unbearable. "Why does it say _"Alex will know what's going on"?_" Everyone else was staring at me, but my eyes were still fixed on the note. There was no way this was all a coincidence. The only way he could've planned this out was if he knew I was there in the bathroom with him. But, with my confusion still set in, I had no choice but to tell the others.

"Okane wrote this letter." I stated simply, causing a mass-gasp around the table. "Earlier today, he came up to me while I was at my locker and gave me this exact warning about the clubroom." There was another silence that engulfed the table, this one filled with uneasiness and suspicion.

"Who's to say we can trust him in the first place?" Natsuki asked. "It's clear that this is some kind of setup!" It'd been a while since I'd seen Natsuki's old 'tsundere' personality, but I had no time to ponder that.

"Actually, I don't think it is." I said. "While I was in the bathroom, I overheard Okane talking to himself in front of the sink. He eventually realized that there could've been an eavesdropper and stopped talking, but I got enough information to believe that he's on our side." There was more confusion around the table, and it was Monika that chipped in this time.

"Our side of what?" She asked. I looked her dead in the eyes.

"He's a traitor to the cult that's been trying to kill us." There were no gasps this time, but that was probably because the shock was so great that they forgot to. "I know that there are some holes in my theory, but I have no doubt that this is the truth. So, because of this, it's in our best interest to do as he says."

"But... what about Shiro?" Natsuki inquired quietly. "He's not here, so he doesn't know any of this." We all stayed silent at this realization. The silence was from worry and shock, which was only amplified as we heard the bell ringing.

"I'll text him." Monika said frantically as she pulled out her phone. After a few moments of typing, Monika put her phone back in her pocket and stood up.

"So... what do we do now?" Sayori asked.

"We just go about our day normally." I planned. "Once it's time for the club, we'll meet back here for five minutes. Got it?"

"Got it." Everyone else said in unison. There was something about Monika's voice that made everyone feel comforted, but also gave off a feeling of leadership.

Anyway, the rest went as you'd expect it to. Reassured by the belief that everything was planned, we continued going on with our day like nothing was different. Yuri and I joined up to go to our next class together as the others broke off down the halls. Yuri and I chatted all the while as we continued down the hall as if the knowledge acquired just a few moments before hadn't ever existed.

As I talked with Yuri, I quickly realized that it almost felt like I was talking to someone completely different. The old Yuri was shy and incredibly introverted, but this Yuri was more casual and confident with her words. You, dear reader, are probably getting a bit tired of me repeating myself, but it still made me really happy to see how everyone had changed so much since I'd first met them.

I was so caught up in this thought, in fact, that I didn't even notice when I was already sitting in my desk next to Yuri. We continued chatting for a short time, which quickly ended with the bell ringing.

*One class later*

I calmly walked out of the history room, the bell having rung just a few seconds ago. Yuri and I exchanged goodbyes as we split off to our next classes. This time, during my journey, I didn't see Tiffany in the halls once, so I was pleasantly reassured when I saw that she was sitting at her desk in the classroom. Again, nothing else happened, so this is the first time there'll be only one paragraph between two time skips.

*One class later*

"Let's get to the cafeteria." Tiffany said instantly as the bell rang. I made no arguments, following her as soon as we were both standing up.

Our walking paces were anxious as we strode down the halls of the school, the number of students in each hall going down as we continued on towards the cafeteria. I was tempted to strike up a conversation with Tiffany to lighten the mood, but we reached the cafeteria before I could decide, making the inner debate useless.

"Oh, thank god." Natsuki sighed in relief as she saw us.

"I told you they'd be fine." Mc joked.

They weren't sitting at our usual table this time. Instead they were merely just standing around nearby the entrance, trying to look casual despite no one else being around. Neither Tiffany nor I questioned it, then walked up to join the others.

"Okay, I'm setting the timer." Monika said while looking at her phone.

"But what about Shiro? He isn't here yet." Mc pointed out.

"He'll turn up. The important part isn't all of us being here, but the time that the club time starts." She explained, tapping the 'start timer' button on her phone.

To pass the time, we all chatted about random things as per usual while looking out for Shiro. As time went on, we got more and more anxious about his absence. One minute, two minutes, three minutes, four minutes passed and there was still no Shiro. We were no longer talking and exclusively looked around, searching for Shiro.

But he never showed up.

"Oh, god. I can't take it anymore!" Natsuki exclaimed, then burst off out of the cafeteria.

"Nat, wait!" I called. I got no response, so I sped off and chased after her. The voices of the others rang out behind me, concerned as I ran.

I followed Natsuki down the hall, around a corner, up some stairs, and through another maze of corridors to the clubroom. She stopped in front of the door and turned towards in, bringing her hand to the handle to open the door.

"Nat, stop!" I ordered as I caught up to her, grabbing her arm and pulling it away from the door.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled. "I just need to make sure!"

"Nat, it's not safe." I explained, now trying with a softer voice. "Shiro is fine. Monika texted him, so there's no reason why he should be-" I suddenly stopped, sensing something. "W-what the fuck is..."

I smelled something foul, something worrying... blood. Natsuki seemed to smell it to, as her expression changed to one of immense worry (at least, more worried than before).

With a cold grip on my heart, I slowly turned around towards the door and reached for the handle, wrapping my shaking hands around it. It felt tougher to move than usual, feeling like I was using all my strength just to open it a crack.

Suddenly, against my will, my hand slammed to the right and opened the door all the way, revealing a horrifying sight. It was like something out of a horror movie. The brutal, bloody mess that lay before me seared itself into my mind as I took it in.

Shiro... was dead.

His body lay up against the wall, a tear in his stomach from some sort of sharp object. There was blood everywhere in an area around his body. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, and you could even see some of his intestines through the cut. Images just like this one, right from my past, swirled through my mind as this new sight joined them, spinning around to create a web of horrible memories.

It was too much for me to handle. I'd failed him. Just like I'd failed all those before. I was a failure. I had no hope. There was no way to win. These were my thoughts as I fell to the ground, and the world around me went dark...

"_So, what did you think of my performance?" James asked the three of us as we stood backstage._

"_You're on your way to stardom, James." Kyle responded. "Seriously, that was some impressive acting."_

"_Same here." Aurora chipped in._

"_I couldn't have said it better myself." I added._

_Our school had just had a play in the theatre with James as the main role. He was always a great actor, but this time, he really blew everyone away. He was always so animated and lively, so it was hard to find a role he couldn't play well._

"_So, what do you say we have a little party to celebrate?" I suggested. "My treat."_

_Everyone agreed, and we left backstage to the hallways outside. The bright lights contrasted with the darkness that existed in the backstage area, so it took a bit for my eyes to adjust. We walked down the halls, talking and laughing as we did. Our little group wasn't very impressive, but I didn't really care. I was happy, and I could tell the others were happy as well._

"_So, where should we go?" I asked as we approached the exit. The three suggested a multitude of restaurants, some of which made me worry for the health of my wallet. However, as we approached the exit, a feeling of deep dread and worry entered my chest._

"_Alex, what's wrong?" James asked me. James and Aurora had stopped with me and were now standing to my left and right with worried expressions on their faces. But Kyle kept on going. He reached to push open the door._

"_Wait, DON'T!" I yelled frantically. But I was too late._

_Kyle turned around to see what the problem was, but that was the wrong move. The problem was right next to the door on the other side. I hadn't seen it up until now, and the actions of the others suggest they were the same. As Kyle turned around, he didn't let up on pushing the door. I had barely any time to react when he finally pushed it open._

_BOOM_

_I was thrown back by the blast, the only thing processed by my senses being the explosion that now engulfed the entire area that Kyle had just been standing in. My back hit the floor, and there was a loud ringing in my ears accompanied by the smell of smoke in the air. More explosions rang out in the distance, but I couldn't even tell how far away they were due to the ringing._

"_HOLY SHIT!" I heard someone exclaim from behind me. I opened my eyes slowly and stood up much quicker, coming face-to-face with a dead body. Kyle's dead body._

_His dead expression was filled with shock, and his entire right arm was completely missing. There were people running around, screaming in terror, but I could barely sense that. All I could focus on was the body of my dead friend, whom I'd known for years. I just stood there, crying and staring._

_Suddenly, I was yanked back by someone. I turned around to find James dragging me by the arm down the halls. My feet finally caught up with my brain and I held my own weight, sprinting down the halls with James and Aurora. James and I were up front, with Aurora lagging just a bit behind._

"_Ah!" I heard an exclaim of pain from behind me a little bit later. I turned around frantically and stopped to see that Aurora had tripped and fallen. Another explosion rang out, this one much closer, and cracks appeared in the walls and ceiling around Aurora._

_I ran forward to help her, but I was again too late. The ceiling collapsed under its own weight, falling directly onto Aurora, crushing her. The only thing still visible was her head, a look of intense pain stricken on her face. Blood began seeping out from under the rubble, and there was no longer any doubt that she was dead._

_However, this time, I didn't even have any time to take it in. James once again grabbed me by the arm and dragged me down the halls once more._

"_If we go fast enough, we can make it to the other exit!" He explained, panting heavily. He was clearly having an easier time than me, somehow being able to focus on escaping rather than his dead friends._

_However, as soon as he finished that sentence, a multitude of explosions rang out all around, and cracks formed everywhere in sight. Neither of us had any time to process anything before everything around us caved in, and we were both buried under the rubble of our own school..._

_I eventually came to, a throbbing pain enveloping my entire body. I tried moving as my senses recovered, only to be met with pain and a strong feeling of helplessness. My vision came back, and I was met with the worst sight of all._

_I was buried in the ruins of our school, only my head and right arm sticking out and free to the air. Everything else was blurry, but my eyes eventually adjusted to reveal a figure limping towards me. I blinked a few more times to clear my vision, revealing the figure to be James. He was caked with dust and there were many clear cuts and bruises along his skin._

"_Come on, we need to get out of here." He said as he reached out a hand._

_I reached towards his hand with my only free arm. If two of my friends were dead, at least I'd still have-_

_BANG_

_A sharp gunshot rang through the air and the two of us froze. Time seemed to stop, then slowly, a trail of blood slowly appeared from James's chest and trailed down. He fell to the side and never moved again. I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't believe it. With frantic eyes, I turned back to the front._

_There was a man wearing a gas mask, holding a handgun that was presumably used to kill James. He now pointed it at me, his finger ready to pull the trigger. I didn't care anymore. What was the point of living if all those around you were dead? I'd accepted my fate. I rested my body, and made myself an easy target for him..._

_But the bullet never came. I waited seconds, then minutes, but still nothing. I opened my eyes a peek to witness the man walking away. I was an easy target, so why didn't he kill me? To this day, I still don't know. However, at that moment, I'd wished he killed me. I was eventually found and saved by paramedics, but once again, I'd wished I was dead._

_Now, I was reliving that experience of failure with Shiro. I could never save my friends, and I could never save Shiro. I was a failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure._

_...I wish I were dead..._

End of Chapter 11 (Part 1)


	18. Chapter 11: Fragility Part 2

Chapter 11: Fragility (Part 2)

Hey, Alex here. As you may know, at the end of the first part of this chapter recounting my adventures, I had fallen unconscious. There were some important things that happened while I was unconscious, so I myself have no recollection of the events immediately after said half of chapter. Therefore, I've chosen to have Monika recount the events for me.

The majority of this chapter will be told from her perspective, so as to keep a feeling of conformity between events. As I sit at my desk, writing this intro, Monika sits next to me, waiting to start her portion of this story. So, without further ado, take it away Monika!

Friday, April 12, 2022

14:30

**{Monika POV}**

Everyone around me called after Alex frantically, urging him to stay with the rest of our group. I, on the other hand, was doing my best to hold everyone back from following him and Natsuki. Now, don't get me wrong, I was scared for their safety too, but I didn't want to lose any more than I had to. I didn't like it, I despised it in fact, but it was the best I could do.

"Moni! Let go!" Sayori shouted as I held her back by the arm.

"We can't just let Alex and Natsu go alone!" Tiffany added.

Mc and Yuri yelled similar things, but I held them back with all my might. Without the ability to enhance my physical strength, this proved much more difficult than it would've been otherwise. However, I refused to let up. That is, until all the weight suddenly shifted, and everyone stopped struggling.

I was able to stop from falling over, but only because I was stunned by the same thing as they were. Everyone stopped moving at the same time because we all heard something. A scream. To be more specific, Natsuki's scream. My mind threw my previous thoughts down the wayside, and my body was suddenly in motion, barreling down the halls as fast as my feet could take me.

I could hear the others running behind me, their footfalls echoing down the halls just the same as mine. A part of my mind was questioning my current decision, asking me why I changed my mind so suddenly. Well, even now, I only have one answer to that: Alex.

Now, really quickly, I'm sure that Alex has talked about events related to this, but I felt that I should explain it in more detail. Ever since I'd brought Alex to my world, I commonly found it impressive how strong his resolve was. Even when the odds were stacked against him, he refused to give in. He was devoted to helping me save everyone in the Literature Club, despite having not known me personally for very long.

In a way, you could say I looked up to him. I'd originally brought him in hopes that he could help me save the others, but I quickly discovered that it was mostly me helping him. We were partners in this endeavor, always having each other's backs.

THAT'S why I was now rushing down the halls at full speed. THAT'S why I'd gotten so far. I couldn't bear it if I'd lost him, or anyone, for that matter. With the determination fueled by this fact coursing through my body, I quickly found myself just one turn away from the hallway that the clubroom was in.

I put on one more burst of speed as I turned the corner, taking in the scene as fast as I could. The clubroom door was open, with Natsuki standing right outside it. However, in between them, lying on the floor, was Alex. His eyes were closed, worrying me so much that I immediately found myself crouching down next to him.

"Nat, what happened?" I asked Natsuki to no response. I continued waiting, but there was still no answer spoken.

I gazed up at Natsuki to see what was wrong. She looked terrified. There were tears in the corners of her eyes, and her skin was almost completely white. Whatever she was scared of was inside the clubroom, as was determined by her line of sight. I instantly followed said line of sight into the clubroom, and my blood went just as cold as hers.

There, laying with his back against the wall, was Shiro. Dead. Blood covered the wall and floor around him, also staining his clothes and skin. There was a hole in his lower torso, some of his intestines visible behind the cloth and skin. Blood poured from the corner of his mouth, and there was no sign of any life in his body.

"W-what the..." I was too stunned to speak, so much so that I didn't even notice the rest of the club approaching until they were right next to us.

I heard stunned sputtering and gasps as they too discovered Shiro's dead body. Once the initial shock was over, Tiffany screamed and backed up to the wall, distancing herself from the body as much as she could.

"H-holy s-shit..." Mc muttered. "I... I'm getting the nurse!" He darted back down the halls at full speed, but it was obviously a fruitless endeavor.

The rest of us that stayed there fell to our knees at the sight, unable to process what we'd just discovered. For a long time, no one said anything. There was no need to. We just waited there, until we began to hear rapid footsteps getting closer from down the halls.

With whatever part of my being wasn't taken up by Shiro's corpse, I turned my head towards the sounds. Mc and the nurse were now running towards us, a frantically concerned look on each of their faces.

"In here! Hurry!" Mc called as he led the nurse into the clubroom. The nurse's expression froze as he gazed upon Shiro's body, unable to comprehend what had unfolded before him.

"H-how could this h-happen?" Tiffany stuttered. "Shiro... is dead?"

"No... he can't be!" Sayori exclaimed. "T-this has to be a dream!"

Small statements of denial continued to flow through our group, each of us desperately trying to convince ourselves that the scene in front of us wasn't real. But, no matter what, there was no denying it. No matter how much we lied to ourselves, it would never change the truth. As the nurse checked Shiro's body, his grim expression said it all:

Shiro was truly, completely dead.

*Thirty minutes later*

After the discovery of Shiro's dead body, the nurse sent the rest of us to his office so he could keep an eye on us while we waited for the police to arrive. It's not that he didn't trust us, he was just worried that we could be in danger as well.

We lugged Alex's unconscious body with us to the nurse's office, although requiring a bit of convincing for Natsuki to stop her from attempting to carry him herself. Natsuki shakily explained what had happened to cause Alex to faint, reassuring the rest of us about his well-being. I wouldn't exactly call it a silver-lining to the situation, but it was something.

So, there we were, each of us sitting, facing each other, on the side of two hospital beds. Natsuki sat to my left, Sayori sat to my right, and the remaining three club members sat across from us on the opposing bed. Alex was still unconscious, laying down on the same bed as Natsuki, Sayori, and I. Natsuki sat closest to his head, and was absentmindedly stroking his hair as we waited.

"You really do love him, don't you?" I softly asked Natsuki, trying to alleviate a bit of the tension.

"...Yeah." She answered after a long pause. "He changed my life for the better. I really wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for him." There was a small hint of a smile on her face.

"You sure have changed, Natsuki." Yuri quietly giggled. "Just a couple of weeks ago, you would never say that in front of anyone."

"Hey, so have you." Mc commented. "Remember back when you'd stutter just from talking to me?" This earned a small laugh from most of us.

"Alex really did change all our lives." Sayori lamented with a smile. "I can't even imagine where we'd be right now without him."

The six of us shared a long moment of silence. The blanket of sadness that encompassed us was still there, but it was at least lessened by the conversation we'd just had. However, that silence was eventually interrupted by a sharp 'SLAM' coming from the door.

We all turned toward the door in surprise as Keisatsu threw it open, letting it hit the wall rather hard. He had a wildly concerned expression on his face, which quickly dissipated into a relieved smile as he saw our group.

"Oh, thank god." He breathed a sigh of relief.

He took a step inside, waving to the nurse as he did so. He did a small scan of our group, doing a bit of a double-take when he noticed Alex passed out on the hospital bed. Rushing forward, he knelt down at the side of the bed and looked at Alex.

"Is... is he okay?" He asked frantically.

"He's fine." I responded. "Just fainted, that's all."

Keisatsu let out another deep sigh of relief, replaced with a grim frown immediately after. He sat down next to Alex's feet, on the other side of the bed from us. Because of this, he had to crane his neck around in order to see us.

"I'm sorry about Shiro." He apologized. "If only I'd taken more precautions, he'd probably still be alive..."

No one said anything in response. Mc's, Yuri's, Tiffany's, and Sayori's faces held an expression of pity, while as Natsuki's was unreadable. We were all probably thinking the same thing: We all held a part of the blame. As a group, we should've done more to keep everyone in the same place, and because we didn't, one of was now dead.

"It's not your fault, dad." Mc solemnly stated. "We got a message from that mole you mentioned, telling us not to go to the clubroom. Shiro wasn't with us when we got the message, so he didn't know about it."

The sentence was punctuated by a long silence, filled only by the clacking of keyboards keys coming from the nurse as he worked at his computer. It felt like an eternity until there were more spoken words.

"Wait a minute..." Natsuki suddenly said. "What about the text Monika sent him?" It took everyone a moment to understand what she meant, but as soon as they did, all eyes fell on me.

"What's this about a text message?" Keisatsu inquired.

"Back when we got the message from the mole, Shiro wasn't with us, so I sent him a text message telling him about it." I explained as I pulled out my phone. "Did he not see it or something?"

I quickly scrolled through my contacts list until I reached Shiro's name. I hadn't really talked to him all that much, so it was quite far down in the list. As soon as I tapped his name and brought up the chat display, I instantly noticed something wrong.

"He... saw the message?" I pointed out, confused. "It says here that he saw the message just after I sent it to him."

"What?" Natsuki leaned over my shoulder to confirm this for herself. "But why would he still go to the clubroom if he knew it was dangerous?"

This question circulated through our minds as we tried our best to make sense of it. However, the more we thought about it, the less it made sense.

"It's best that you don't think about it right now." Keisatsu said. "Once the boys finish investigating the crime scene, we'll figure it out then. For now, let's get back home. I'd bet you're all a little drained after this."

He then began to stand up from the bed to leave, but Natsuki quickly turned around and reached over, putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Wait." She requested, freezing him in place. "Before we go... can I see him one last time?"

A long pause followed before Keisatsu eventually turned around to face her.

"Why would you want to do that?" He inquired. Natsuki looked a little off to the side, small tears in the corners of her eyes.

"I just wanted to say goodbye... I guess." She admitted. "I know that sounds stupid, but-"

"Okay." Keisatsu interrupted her. Natsuki had a surprised expression on her face.

"W-what?" She stuttered. Keisatsu looked up, taken aback.

"I've lost a few friends in the line of duty without getting the chance to say goodbye." He lamented. "I'd rather you be given the chance, unlike me." Natsuki's mouth curled up into a warm smile.

"Thank you." She said softly. Keisatsu returned her smile as he stood up from the bed.

"Anyone else coming?" He asked the rest of us.

One by one, the rest of the club members stood up and followed him. First Tiffany, then Mc, Yuri, and finally Sayori. They each stood up from their beds and took up Keisatsu's offer, all except for Alex (obviously) and I.

"Moni, aren't you coming?" Sayori asked me concernedly. I shook my head.

"I'd rather keep an eye on Alex, just in case." I reasoned. "I don't want to take any more chances."

After finishing my sentence, the others left the room soundlessly. Natsuki gave me a thankful look as she left, although that was about it. As the door slowly closed behind them, I was now alone in the nurse's office with the nurse and Alex.

I turned to the side and looked at Alex head-on, lamenting what he'd done for all of us over the past couple of weeks. Saving Sayori, Yuri, and Natsuki would've been next to impossible without him, which only made Shiro's death hurt my heart even more. I've said before that I'd reset the world every time I failed to save everyone, but there was a bit more to it than that.

This wasn't the first timeline in which I'd met Tiffany and Shiro. In fact, it wasn't even the second, third, fourth, you get the idea. I'd known them so long, and they didn't even know it, just like the other club members. And, just like the other club members, I'd watched them die countless times. It hurt me so much, I eventually just resolved to reset the world if either of THEM died as well.

And... that leads us to my dilemma as I sat there next to Alex.

'_I could reset it again, possibly bring back Shiro and try again.'_ I thought. '_But then... Alex would...'_

I suddenly found myself crying quite heavily. If I reset the world now, everyone would be brought back, all except for Alex. He wasn't originally a part of this world, so he wouldn't come back. He'd be gone... forever.

'_No, what the hell am I thinking?!'_ I scolded myself. '_I can't do that. I can't do that to Alex.'_

I'd brought Alex to my world to help me save my friends, but it was also because he was the only one who knew how I felt. If I betrayed him like that, I wouldn't be able to live with myself, regardless of whether or not I still had the others. Once I realized this, I felt disgusted with myself.

"I'm sorry, Alex." I whispered, fully aware that he probably couldn't hear me.

Alex truly had suffered, just as the rest of us. He watched his friends die all around him, saw his parents get murdered, and even went through discovering the hanged body of his sister. Now, he's been forced to endure another loss. Life was most unfair for the two of us.

However, despite this, Alex was always so confident and determined. He never let up on saving any of the club members, doing his best no matter how difficult it was. I lost count of how long I'd been trying to save the others, so long, in fact, that I'd forgotten what it felt like to be happy, confident, or anything of the sort. I had turned into a broken husk of myself, and I wouldn't have recovered if it weren't for Alex.

"I know you probably can't hear me, but," I whispered, "we're partners in this. We've come so far, and we can't lose now."

I slowly laid my hand down on his for comfort, just in case he really heard me. I didn't really expect him to, but you never know.

"_I can hear you."_

The sudden voice startled me, making me jump slightly. I retracted my hand instantly.

"Are you okay, Ms. Kontororu?" The nurse inquired, looking away from his computer for a few moments.

"Ah, yes. I'm fine." I responded. "Just a bit tired." The nurse nodded in affirmation, then turned back to his desktop.

'_Now... what was that?'_ I asked myself.

The voice I heard was that of Alex, but the nurse clearly didn't hear him as well. But... there was no way Alex actually spoke to me, right? Unless...

I slowly moved my hand over his once more, said hand shaking the entire time. As my hand finally rested upon his, I quietly whispered:

"_Alex... can you hear me?"_

_I waited for a response and was quickly rewarded with one._

"_Yup, I can see you, too." He answered._

"_What?" I was confused. "But you're lying unconscious on a hospital bed right now." There was a small and thoughtful "hmm" in response._

"_Well, from my perspective, I'm currently in a black void." Alex explained. "It's been this way ever since... you know... and then you suddenly showed up and said something about being sorry."_

_I froze in fear and shame, shocked that he'd heard that._

"_Monika, are you okay?" He asked. "You look a bit pale."_

_I could barely hold back the torrent of tears that threatened to break out. Eventually, I just gave up and let them burst out._

"_Alex, I'm so sorry!" I cried._

"_Whoa, Monika! Calm down!" Alex exclaimed. "What are you talking about?!"_

"_I...I..." I could barely speak through the sobs. "I actually considered killing you to bring Shiro back!"_

_There was a long pause as Alex processed this information. I continued crying, just waiting for him to get angry at me, say I betrayed him, or something of the sort._

_Suddenly, I found myself standing up. I was no longer sitting on the hospital bed in the nurse's office, nor was I even in the nurse's office. I was now in a dark void, blackness surrounding me completely. In my disoriented and grief-filled state, I frantically looked around in search of... something. Anything. Then, I saw him._

_Alex was standing just a few feet away, staring at me directly with tears in his eyes. I could practically feel the despair and hatred emanating off him. Eventually, I just couldn't take it anymore and fell to my knees, staring down in shame. I continually cried, tears falling farther down than I could see into the black void._

"_I'm sorry!" I wailed as I fell onto my hands and knees. "I'm a monster!"_

_No reply followed. I waited... waited... and waited longer still... but no response was uttered. The only audible sound was my crying. It filled the void and seemed to bounce off some unseen wall, echoing throughout the infinite space of nothingness._

_Testing my luck, I looked up at Alex._

_He was looking down, casting a shadow over his eyes as to not give away his emotions. He had a frown on his face, though, making me believe that he was quite angry or sad. Then, a small tear popped out of his eye and trailed down his cheek, dropping off his chin and falling into the infinite drop below us._

_He took a sudden step forward, then another. I snapped my head back down, not daring make eye contact with Alex. The footsteps quickly got closer and closer, until they were directly in front of me. I continued staring down as I heard the rustling of clothes communicating that he was kneeling down._

"_Monika..." He uttered after a few seconds. "Look at me."_

_After a moment's hesitation, I slowly and carefully trained my gaze upward. I brought my hands up as well, resting them upon my legs as I went back to the normal kneeling position. Suddenly, as soon as I met his gaze, he surged forward and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a soft embrace._

_Just like the day we first met, I was stunned speechless. My arms remained at my sides, shocked at Alex's sudden hug._

"_Monika... don't do that." Alex quietly sobbed. "Don't call yourself a monster."_

"_Alex... why are you doing this?" I asked, still crying. Alex released me and looked me in the eyes, keeping his hands on my shoulders._

"_Monika, if I didn't believe in you to make the right choice, I wouldn't have agreed to help you in the first place." Alex explained. "Both of us have made bad decisions in the past that had serious consequences. You wanted to right that wrong, something that I can never do..."_

_Alex looked off to the side, lost in thought. I understood that he greatly blamed himself for his friends' deaths, feeling that if he weren't so terrified, he would've been able to save them._

"_Alex, it isn't your fault." I told him. "The outcome would've been the same either way. One boy can't stop something like that."_

_He turned to me once again with a warm smile on his face. It was a smile of gratitude, but also one of relief._

"_You see?" He started. "Monika, you're a good person. As you just demonstrated, you understand my pain just as I understand yours. As long as this goes on, I will continue to fight alongside you. We're partners in this, after all."_

_I stared on in shock once he finished speaking. I had suddenly felt like a weight had been lifted. Like something that had been restricting me and holding me down had suddenly just disappeared. My mouth slowly curled up into a cheery smile, and I threw my arms around Alex._

"_Thank you, Alex..." I whispered. "I... I feel so much better."_

_Alex rubbed my back reassuringly._

"_You should probably get back, now." He pointed out. "The others will be back any second."_

_I feebly resisted, tightening my grip on him a bit more. Then, I felt his hand softly touch my shoulder. My grip released, and I leaned back out._

"_Listen, I'll be fine." He told me. "Besides, I probably won't remember this anyway."_

"_W-what?" I looked up at him. "Why?"_

_I never received a response. Only a warm, reassuring smile that told me everything would be alright. For some reason, this reassurance started to become contagious. My expression quickly matched Alex's. Slowly, he began to fade before my very eyes, along with all my other senses._

_Before I fully blacked out, however, I heard a faint voice calling out. It was quiet, like a pin dropping at the end of a long hallway, but it was distinctly existent._

"_Live..." It appeared to say._

_It clearly wasn't Alex's voice, nor did it belong to anyone I'd ever known. Despite this, it sounded vaguely familiar. It was clearly female, but I could discern nothing else from it. This strange and alien voice echoed lightly, then it disappeared alongside my conscience..._

[Back in the Nurse's office]

My hand was jolted back as I came to, practically throwing itself off Alex's without any direction from me. A bit disoriented, I took in my surroundings to calm myself. Everything was the same, including the constant clacking of the nurse tapping the keys on his desktop.

'_What was that?'_ I wondered. '_Did Alex really just...'_

I shook my head, banishing the thoughts about the previous confusing event. As I did so, I found myself filled with a warm feeling of calm. I let out a deep breath I hadn't known I was even holding in, taking all my current stresses with it.

That strange talk with Alex clearly made me feel better and lifted quite a few burdens from my shoulders. I turned to him and smiled down at him, silently thanking him for his help. I then merely sat back and waited for the others to arrive, which took what felt like only a few seconds.

"Hey, Moni." Sayori greeted me as everyone came flowing in through the door. "Is Alex okay?"

I nodded.

"He's fine, Bun." I answered with a smile.

"Come on, we have to go." Keisatsu ordered. "I'll carry him."

As I picked up my purse to leave, Keisatsu sauntered over and scooped up Alex's unconscious form with both arms. Natsuki quickly came over and looked Alex up and down, looking almost like a concerned mother. She then slowly brought her hand up and rested it on Alex's forehead with a relieved smile on her face. Watching this scene, I couldn't help but smile...

...And that smile was immediately snuffed out as Natsuki's expression changed to that of a solemn frown. She looked away and walked out the door alongside Keisatsu, me falling in behind them. As I looked over the rest of our group, I noticed that they all had that same expression of sadness and remorse.

The opportunity of saying goodbye to Shiro probably made them accept the realisation that their dear friend, Shiro, was truly dead. It wasn't long before the contagious feeling spread to me, and I felt the sadness that came with losing someone once again. But, this time, it was permanent.

'_Shiro...'_ I thought. '_I'm sorry...'_

"_Don't blame yourself!"_ The sudden voice of Alex called out in my head.

Startled, I caught up with Keisatsu and looked at Alex, but nothing was any different. He was still asleep, just like he had been this entire time. I racked my brain, but there were no more words from Alex.

'_Alex... thank you.'_

*Five minutes later*

Our group travelled through the halls, our footsteps echoing down the empty corridors. There was no one around, despite the fact that all the clubs were still active. Well, all but the Literature Club, of course. All the clubrooms were located at the back end of the school, so it made sense.

I wanted to say something as we walked, try to lighten the mood somewhat, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. Once again, the blanket of despair had fallen over our group, this time even heavier than before. However, even though the thickness of the feeling was enormous, a light of hope burned brightly within my chest.

It was strange. I felt a crushing depression on the outside, but I still continued to feel hopeful for the future. It was like all the hope in my body had been taken and moved to the center of my chest, all compressed into one small point. A pure, solid mass of hope that could overcome any despair.

This hope would drive me forward away from the chains that once held me back. I no longer dwelled on the past. I wanted to save what I had left. I NEEDED to save what I had left. Nothing would stop me from achieving my goal of getting everyone else to the end alive. Alex and I would save them. No matter what happened along the way...

*Ten minutes later*

There hadn't been enough space for everyone in one car, so we split into two groups where Keisatsu drove one car of people while another police officer drove the others. Natsuki, Sayori, Alex and I were with Keisatsu as the cars pulled up to Mc's house. Keisatsu quickly stopped the car and rapidly got out.

Alex's unconscious body sat limply between Natsuki and I, being only held in place by the seatbelt running across his chest. During the entire ride, Natsuki had been staring at Alex, concerned. I can't say I didn't feel the same, but I had hope that everything would be fine.

Keisatsu threw open the back door on my side and motioned for me to get out. I undid my seatbelt and crawled out through the door as Keisatsu leaned inside to retrieve Alex. Natsuki did the same on her side and I quickly joined her on the right side of the car, closest to Mc's house.

After a bit of fumbling, Keisatsu was able to maneuver Alex outside and closed the car door with his foot. He quickly carried Alex over to us and started towards the front door. We waited a few seconds for the others to catch up from the car behind ours and followed Keisatsu inside.

Ishi greeted us warmly as we entered, but it was quite obvious she was just desperately trying to cheer not only us, but herself up. Shiro had been living with us for almost a week, and he was like family to us at this point. To have him just die like that after so much... it must've broken her heart to hear that he'd died.

With Ishi's solemn greetings aside, Keisatsu, Natsuki, and I continued upstairs while the rest of our group followed Ishi into the living room. Before we split up, however, I stopped Sayori by placing my hand on her shoulder from behind.

"Everything's going to be okay. I promise." I reassured her. A small, hopeful smile creeped its way onto her face after I said that but was immediately snuffed out.

"How can you be so sure?" I could just barely see a tear rolling down her cheek as she said that, then she immediately turned back around and followed the others into the living room.

I stood there, shocked, for what felt like an eternity. After what was most likely only about three seconds, I brought myself together and went back to following Keisatsu and Natsuki upstairs.

As we entered Alex's bedroom, Keisatsu lumbered over to his bed and laid him on its surface. He then turned around and walked towards the open doorway, passing between Natsuki and I. Before he completely left the room, however, he made one last look back at the two of us and said:

"I'm going to go inform Kuro of his son's death. Don't leave the house until I get back." He then left without waiting for a response.

While I stared at the spot that Keisatsu had previous inhabited, deep in thought, Natsuki immediately turned around and darted towards Alex on the bed. After a few seconds, I also turned towards Alex and saw Natsuki sitting at the head of his bed, holding his hand and staring at his face.

As I looked closer, I could see a few tears dripping down onto the floor from her face. I walked over to the two of them and sat at the foot of his bed, looking at Natsuki's melancholy-filled eyes. She was clearly happy to have Alex safe, but the loss of Shiro made the feeling quite bittersweet for her.

"Everything is going to be fine, Natsuki." I told her. "As long as we don't give up-"

"Why shouldn't we give up?" Natsuki interrupted me, not turning her eyes away from Alex.

"What?" I was confused.

"We're fighting against people who have so much more power than us!" Natsuki cried, suddenly yelling. "They killed Shiro, so what's stopping them from killing us just as quickly?!"

There were tears in Natsuki's eyes as she screamed this out, letting her anguish fill the surrounding air. Something about her at that moment reminded me of something, but I couldn't quite remember what. Then, it hit me.

Natsuki, Sayori, and probably everyone else was going through what I went through shortly before taking Alex into my world. The hopeless feeling that came with losing those close to you... it was something Alex and I knew very well. Alex had supported me this entire time, pushing me to save my friends. Now, I had to repay the favour.

"Natsuki, is that truly what you want?" I asked her solemnly. Natsuki turned to me suddenly, tears still hanging in the corners of her eyes.

"W-what?" She sobbed.

"By giving up, we are admitting that we'd rather die than fight for what we believe in." I inspired her. "If you're already prepared to die, then don't die by giving in to those who want to hurt you."

"But Monika..." Natsuki whimpered. "It doesn't matter... we can't fight something like this. We can't make a difference..."

"Don't say that!" I yelled, startling Natsuki. "We made a difference back when you still lived under your father's foot, didn't we?! It seemed impossible to save you at that moment, but we all still pulled through in the end."

"I..." Natsuki couldn't find the words to express how she felt. She merely sunk her head down and stayed silent, hiding her face from me.

I found myself crying as well, remembering the absolute hopelessness I used to feel so very often. However, I pushed through. Hope lived on inside me, and I wasn't letting anyone else give it up.

"Natsuki..." I slid in closer and tilted her head up to see me. "Would Alex give up right now?"

Natsuki's expression changed to one of realisation, where it stood frozen for a few seconds. I kept my composure somehow and waited for her response. Then, suddenly, she began openly crying and the next thing I knew, she was clinging to me for dear life, keeping me trapped in a hug.

She continued to cry into my shoulder, to which I responded with putting a reassuring hand on the back of her head. I was again reminded of my first conversation with Alex, where he reassured me in a similar way. We stayed like that for a few moments before Natsuki finally got her composure and pulled away slowly.

"Thanks, Monika." Natsuki said quietly. "I really needed that."

"Don't worry about it, Natsuki." I smiled warmly at her.

"Hey, what did I miss?" A third voice suddenly joined in. Natsuki and I, both with shocked expressions, turned our heads to Alex and found that he had suddenly woken up. He had a smile on his face, like he was proud of his 'entrance'.

**{Alex POV}**

I laid on my bed, looking up at Natsuki and Monika with a goofy smile on my face after my humorous words. The two of them were looking at me with shocked expressions. This situation was at a standstill for a few seconds, just barely not long enough to make it uncomfortable. Then, finally, Natsuki frantically leaned over me and began to hug me as tightly as she could.

She clutched me as closely to her as she could, like I could disappear at any moment. She constantly cried how she was sorry and how worried she was, but none of it really made sense. All the while, Monika was laughing incredibly hard at the show in front of her.

Finally, after about five minutes, I was able to calm Natsuki down and get her off me. The two girls now sat in the edge of my bed, looking down at me with relieved (although strangely solemn) smiles. Then, I remembered, and I felt my eyes start to water.

"Shiro, is he really...?" I trailed off, not wanting to complete the thought. Monika looked a bit off to the side, lamenting.

"Yes, he's dead." She confirmed sadly. "I'm sorry."

I looked over at Natsuki, slightly shocked, and watched as a tear rolled down her cheek. Seeing as Shiro was a friend from her childhood whom she had just recently reconnected with. I placed my hand on her cheek in reassurance and gave her a warm smile, which seemed to help her a bit.

"So, do you mind filling me in on everything that happened?" I inquired, trying to loosen a bit of the tension. "I don't remember anything since... you know." As I finished that sentence, Monika's expression seemed to shift to one of curiosity, but I couldn't be sure at the time. After reading through Monika's recollection of what happened, I now know it was because I claimed to not remember what happened in the nurse's office.

*Five minutes later*

"-and that's about everything." Natsuki finished. "You caught up now?" I thought for a moment, then nodded confidently.

"Yeah, I think I got everything." I confirmed. "I still can't believe they got Shiro, though..." There was a short silence, making me worry that I brought the mood of the room down.

"Hey, am I interrupting something?" I voice from the doorway asked. We all turned our heads to the source of said voice to find Sayori leaning in, a somber frown on her face.

"What is it, Bun?" Monika inquired.

"Ishi wants us all in the living room." Sayori explained. "Her and Keisatsu thought up a plan earlier, and since Keisatsu is out right now, Ishi wanted to tell us about it."

"Okay, we'll be right there." Monika answered. Sayori took one last look at us, then left without changing her sad expression.

"I don't know how much longer we can go on like this." Natsuki said sadly as she stood up and left, not taking a single look back to make sure we were following. Which we weren't.

Monika helped me get up and sit on the bed but held me back when I tried to leave. I confusedly turned to her.

"What is it?" I asked.

"There's another problem." Monika explained. "But... only the two of us can know about it." She had a worried expression on her face, and I already knew where this was going.

"Does it have something to do with my coming to this world?" I questioned. Monika nodded.

"You could say that." She answered. "Do you remember what I told you about cross-sight visions?" I thought for a moment before responding.

"Because of the weakened walls between dimensions, things will sometimes change to match certain aspects of other dimensions. We have visions of these changes when they happen." I recalled.

"Correct." Monika nodded. "However, there's a problem with that."

"What's the problem?" I asked.

"The walls between dimensions have been recovering ever since the beginning of all this, but something has been bothering me." She told me. "I didn't just bring you here with no planning. The number of cross-sight events can be calculated, and I calculated there to be three cross-sight events after bringing you here."

"Wait, but that means..." I did the math in my head. "There's still one more left?" Monika nodded, but that was one thing I didn't want to be true.

"There's still one more change that we haven't encountered yet, and it will happen soon." She explained.

I took a few moments to process this new information.

'_There's another change coming, which could throw a wrench into the already-broken situation we're in.' _I thought. '_But, at the same time, there's no guarantee it's a bad thing, right?'_ In all the mental reassurance, I failed to notice a human shape had taken a spot in the doorway.

"Hey, aren't you coming?" Natsuki asked from the hall.

"Yes, we're coming." Monika answered, shaking me back to reality.

The two of us quickly got up and followed Natsuki into the halls, down the stairs, and into the living room. In there, everyone sat in their usual spots on the couches, while Ishi sat in her usual armchair, the other armchair obvious vacant due to Keisatsu's absence.

Natsuki, Monika, and I also sat down in our usual spots. I got a couple surprised stares, but no one said anything. As we sat down, I couldn't help but notice the now-empty spot on the opposing couch where Shiro used to sit. The sight threatened my tear ducts, but I held it back.

"Now, you're probably wondering where we could go from here." Ishi started, getting everyone's attention. "And the answer to that is... another country."

"What?!" Monika stood up.

"Monika, please. Just hear me out." Ishi requested. "After having a serious and thoughtful discussion, Keisatsu and I have decided that we cannot fight something like this without any help. Therefore, the best course of action would be to move you all to another place where they can't reach you."

"What do you mean, 'without any help'?!" Monika exclaimed, suddenly angry. "You have the entire police force on your side!"

"Yes, but these people have proven to be very secretive and we have no leads as to their whereabouts." Ishi explained. "We will be leaving tomorrow. Pack up whatever you need tonight."

I was stunned. Shocked. Utterly appalled. After all this, after all the suffering and hardships we'd gone through, we were just going to run? We fought so hard and come so far, only to put our tails between our legs and flee?

'_No...'_

Everyone in the living room was having a heated debate, everyone against Monika. I was too lost to join in.

'_NO...'_

I didn't want to give up. I couldn't give up. I WOULDN'T give up.

"NO!" I suddenly yelled, shocking everyone else in the room. "We aren't running."

There was a long silence, filled only by tension and disbelief. No one dared speak for a while, until Ishi chose to step up to the plate.

"Alex, what are you thinking?" She inquired. "It's the only way to survive."

"No." I stood up. "I'm not running away again."

"Again? What do you mean 'again'?"

"Alex, why are you so against this?" Natsuki asked, sounding scared.

"I'm not going to just run away again." I repeated myself. "Every time I run, I lose people."

Everyone looked incredibly confused, which was understandable. Not even I knew why I was saying this.

"Alex, Shiro's death didn't happen because-" Natsuki tried to say.

"I'm not talking about Shiro!" I suddenly snapped. "If any of you knew what I'd gone through, you'd be saying the same thing as me." I kept my head low, crying from the memories.

"Alex, we know EXACTLY what you have gone through!" Ishi was beginning to raise her voice. "Now, we are leaving tomorrow. If we don't, WE WILL DIE!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT!" I yelled. "I've lost more than just Shiro. Before I came here, I lost people on a MUCH grander scale than ANY of you have!" There was another stunned silence.

"A-Alex, I-" Natsuki was once again interrupted, but this time by Ishi.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH!" Ishi screamed. "WHAT MATTERS IS THAT EVERYONE GETS OUT OF THIS ALIVE!"

I didn't even know what I was fighting for at this point, all I knew was that we COULDN'T leave. Then, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see it was Sayori.

"Alex... we have no choice." She cried. "If we stay here, they'll find us."

I was a bit surprised. Sayori was agreeing with Ishi? Then, as I took a long look around, I saw that everyone except Monika had the same look of hopelessness as Sayori. They all felt cornered. They all felt that running was the only way to survive. I brushed off Sayori and started towards the stairs.

"I'm not running away again." I said as I left. "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."

I then stormed up the stairs, down the hallway, and into my room. I slammed the door behind me and threw myself into my bed, screaming into the pillow. I understand that some may look at this as childish, but I didn't care. I was way too angry, sad, and so many other emotions to care.

Time passed, and nothing happened. It eventually got dark, but Natsuki never came to bed. For the first time ever since meeting everyone, I felt alone. I didn't want to run again. I wanted to fight for what was right.

My friends' deaths were caused by my cowardice to act.

My parents' deaths were caused by my self-pity.

And my sisters' death was caused by my carelessness.

"I..."

"I..."

"I-I'm s-sorry..." I sobbed.

End of Chapter 11 (Part 2)

_(Author's note: Hey, guys. Did you miss me? Sorry for the delay again. With everything going on with the coronavirus, it took me a while to get the computer fixed. Anyway, I'm back, and I'll try to keep everything to regular uploads.)_


	19. Transcript 5

Saturday, April 13, 2022

10:46

*Door slamming open*

Boy: Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.

*Metal grinding against stone*

*Loud bangs*

Woman: *Muffled* You fucking traitor! I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE!

Boy: Yeah, I'll pass on that!

*Rapid footsteps*

Boy: Goddammit, I need to get out of here.

*Several small clicks*

Boy: These recordings should be enough to convince them. I knew I was right to hide it here.

*Bangs become more numerous*

Boy 2: You bastard! I thought I could trust you!

Boy: Same to you, #^!#.

*Bangs get louder*

Middle-aged man: Get the fuck out here so I can kill you! How DARE you side with the Canadian!

Boy: He was brought to this world to save people! I will not side with those who want to kill an innocent person!

*Several small clicks*

*Bangs suddenly stop*

Man: Please, son. Is this truly what you want?

*Short pause*

Boy: Yes. This is what I want. And it's clearly what you want. You were just too scared to act.

*Several small clicks*

*One big click*

Boy: Yes! Now, to get out of here-

*Door breaks down*

*Gunshot*

*Audio cuts out*

*End log*


	20. Chapter 12: The Truth

(_Warning: This chapter contains spoilers for DDLC: A Brand-New Day.)_

Chapter 12: The Truth

"_H-hello?" I called out. "Is... is anyone there?"_

_I was in a black void, completely blank in all directions. I didn't know how I got there, nor did I know where I was spatially. The complete and infinite darkness made it difficult to get an idea of where I was._

'Where... am I_?' I wondered. '_What is this place?'

_I gazed into the darkness, searching for something. Anything that existed. It felt like an eternity of searching, but I finally saw it. A human figure, off in the distance. I was too far away to identify any of their features, but they gave off a strange faint glow._

_I started to sprint towards them, essentially throwing myself through the air as I bounded as fast as I could towards the figure. Suddenly, another figure appeared, standing next to the first one. I picked up the pace as a third figure joined in._

_This continued for what felt like hours. Whenever I felt like I was getting close, another figure appeared, and I immediately found myself further away. That is... until there were six figures._

_Once a sixth figure joined the group, time seemed to speed up as I rocketed towards them at speeds not previously known to me. As I finally got within a few meters, the figures became clear, and I stopped in my tracks, tears in my eyes._

"_W-wha... y-you're..." I couldn't even speak._

_Standing in front of me, looking exactly how they were when I last saw them, were my old family and friends. They each looked at me judgingly, a detail that I couldn't even process at the time. All I could do was stare on in shock and horror. They weren't in one piece, either. They all had serious injuries, exactly the same ones they had in their last moments of life._

_I looked between them all, taking in the horrifying, yet oddly mystical scene. There was a tense silence hanging in the air. As time went on, blood seeped through their various injuries and pooled around their feet. Finally, after what felt like a substantial amount of time, I felt something._

_It started out as a minor ache, but almost immediately exploded into excruciating pain along my entire right arm. I fell to a knee and clutched my arm in pain, unable to even see straight. I closed my eyes as tightly as I could and waited for the pain to dull._

_Then, suddenly, my eyes were forced open without my control, and my attention was focused back on the others in front of me. However, there were no longer six people there. There were five._

_Kyle was missing._

_As soon as I noticed this, another pain exploded across my entire body, but this one was different than the one previous. Instead of a stinging pain, it felt like my whole body was being crushed underneath a great weight. I screamed out in pain, but I couldn't move. All I could do was stare straight ahead at those who used to be alive._

_Eventually, through all the pain, I took notice that another person had disappeared. Aurora was now gone, despite me never having seen her leave. It was almost like she faded into the background, like an extra in a movie._

_I wasn't able to make any sense of this as things went on, due to my body continually being racked with pain. Next, James disappeared, leaving me with a stinging pain in the middle of my chest. Then my parents, whom I was left with multiple bullet points of pain throughout my abdomen._

_Finally, there was one. My sister, Caitlyn. I couldn't move, breathe, or even think through all the pain. A quick look at my own body proved there was no damage to speak of, but my nerves were firing off so powerfully it was almost like they were trying to destroy themselves._

_I waited for Caitlyn to leave, stifling constant screams, but she never did. She just stood there, staring at me with that dead look in her eyes. It was almost like she was mildly amused at my suffering. Nothing made sense to me, up until she finally did something._

_She suddenly started to take slow, deliberate steps towards me. The pace was slow enough, but the pain I felt made those few seconds feel even longer. Finally, she stood directly in front of me, needing to look directly down in order to see me properly._

"_You... could have... saved us." Was all she said. I was confused._

"_W-what... are you talking... about...?" I rasped through the pain._

_Then, suddenly, I felt a tight force apply itself around my neck, cutting of my breath. I brought my hands up to my throat, but there was nothing I could do. As I stared up at my dead sister, things began to fade away. My top half fell over, and I was left powerless on the floor._

_I felt a cold darkness envelop me as I slowly drifted away..._

…

…

…

…

…

"_..k. u."_

"_W..e .p"_

"_Wake up."_

_I slowly came to, the strange voice wrapping itself around me. It felt as if it were supporting me, controlling my very being to help me up off the ground. I let it move me, although I didn't actually have a choice in the matter._

_Eventually, I found myself sitting on the 'ground' of the infinite void once more, looking up at an unfamiliar woman. I did my best to re-orient myself to my surroundings, then studied the strange woman in more detail._

_They looked to be in their early thirties, age lines present in their face, but not very prominent. They had long, brown hair and piercing green eyes, almost reminding me of Monika in a way. They wore a pair of rectangular, black glasses and a full black suit, further cementing the 'professional' air about them._

_They looked down at me with an analytical stare, studying me intently. I almost felt uncomfortable, like an animal in a zoo cage. Then, unexpectedly, she put on a warm smile and extended a hand._

"_Hello there, Alex." She casually greeted. I did a double take at the mention of my name, not understanding how this woman knew me._

_Cautiously, I reached up and took her hand. She pulled me up to my feet, letting go of my hand once she was sure I could stand on my own. A million questions spun around my head, but only one made its way down to my mouth._

"_Who... are you?" I asked. The woman smiled but didn't answer my question._

"_I can't tell you that yet." She answered, looking off to the side. "It's too soon."_

"_Okay..." This lady was really starting to confuse me. "Where are we?"_

"_Again, you're not prepared for that information yet." She replied. I was beginning to get frustrated just talking to her._

"_Are there any questions of mine that you CAN answer?" I complained. The woman turned back to me._

"_They will remember." She said suddenly. My annoyance vaporized and was replaced with yet more confusion._

"_What do you mean?" I questioned. The woman giggled._

"_You asked me if I could answer any of your questions." She explained. "One of the possible questions you could've asked was 'what will the final cross-sight event be?', so I answered it." My eyes went wide._

"_Wait, what?" I blurted out. Just as I finished that sentence, a splitting headache ripped through my skull, making me fall to my knees in pain and hold my head in my hands in hopes to dull the pain. Before long, images began to materialize in my mind._

_Natsuki entering my room, immediately falling to her knees and clutching her head and stomach. Monika stumbling down the hall into my room holding her head. Mc doubled over in the hallway, clutching his head tightly in his hands. Sayori holding the golden sword up to her neck in the living room. Yuri in the kitchen holding a knife against her gut._

"_Oh, SHIT!" I exclaimed once the images faded alongside the headache._

"_You should probably get back to your own world." The woman pointed out professionally. "We will talk again at a later date. You have much more pressing issues on your hands right now. Farewell."_

_With no answers and only questions, the woman began to fade as I lost consciousness once more..._

…

_.._.

…

I woke up suddenly and clearly. I was immediately aware of everything, a strange feeling to have right away in the morning. Quickly sitting bolt upright, a quick look at my alarm clock showed it to be around 7:30 am. I tried to think of what I'd just experienced, but despite the starting clarity, a strange ringing in my ears prevented me from doing so.

'_Wait... ringing?'_ I began to focus on the ringing, my expression turning to one of fear as I realized what the ringing actually was.

Screams echoed throughout the house, my ears having perceived them as just another background sound up until that moment. I was able to pick them out as Mc, Monika, Sayori, Yuri, and Natsuki. I barely had any time to think before my body leaped into action.

I rapidly leapt out of bed and threw my glasses on, leaving my watch behind for the time being. I turned and sprinted towards the door, but before I could even make it halfway, the door burst open and in came Natsuki. She looked scared out of her mind with tears in her eyes, one hand holding her head while the other reached out to me.

In an instant, she rushed over to me and reached around me, gripping me in a desperate hug. She damn near clawed my back, only further proving how scared she was. Concerned, I knelt down a bit and softly returned the gesture, calming her down slightly.

"Nat... what happened?" I softly whispered, desperately hoping that vision wasn't real.

"W-what j-just h-happened?" She was still a bit catatonic. "M-Monika... she... m-manipulated us... t-then s-she..." I firmly placed my hands on Natsuki's shoulders to stop her there.

"Natsuki, listen to me." I said. "Monika has changed. No matter what you may remember, she is still our friend. I promise you." I looked her directly in the eyes, a look of confusion appearing in them.

"A-Alex... w-who are you?" She asked. "H-how could you know that Monika is-"

"Alex!" Monika suddenly burst into the doorway, clutching her head as she stumbled over her own feet. Natsuki yelped and clung closer to me.

"Monika, are you okay?" I asked concernedly.

"I'm fine." Monika answered, leaning against the doorway for support. "But the others are barely holding on. Their minds can't handle the sudden jolt." I took a moment to think.

"What do we do?" I inquired, unable to think of anything else to say.

"...We tell them." Monika told me after a moment of hesitation. I was a bit shocked.

"But Monika, are you sure? You told me that the last time you did that-"

"There's no other choice." She interrupted me. "If we don't explain everything they remembered, they'll go insane!" With a quick nod, I shook Natsuki off and took a step forward.

"Everything will be fine, Nat." I reassured her as I left the room.

I followed Monika out of my room. She held her palm against the side of her head, the cross-sight event taking a toll on her mind. Before we could even get two steps towards the stairs, however, we heard a bang from behind us.

We both turned around to see Mc bursting out of his room, his stumbling suggesting he was also suffering from the memories. Without missing a beat, Monika turned around and ran to his doubled-over form to begin helping him up.

However, as soon as Mc looked up and saw her, he immediately slapped her hand away and fell backward. He had a look of terror and anger in his eyes. I already knew where this was going, so I rushed over to help.

"Y-you killed them!" Mc screamed at Monika. "You killed them all!"

Meanwhile, Monika retained a somber and guilt-filled expression, not reacting at all to Mc's accusations. His continued screaming didn't cease at all when stood next to Monika, either. It was like he was ignoring me altogether.

"Mc, calm down." I said firmly. "Monika is not your enemy." This only seemed to set Mc off more.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" He screamed. "She killed Sayori! She killed Yuri! She killed Natsuki! How can you say that she's not my enemy?!"

"Because she's been trying to save them for years!" I snapped, startling Mc. "Now, I'd suggest that you get a-fucking-hold of yourself and focus before Sayori and Yuri die!" Even my eyes went wide when I said that. It wasn't until that moment that I had actually processed that part of the vision.

"W-what?" A voice uttered from our left as the nearest guest room door opened.

We all turned to said door as Tiffany emerged, tears in the corners of her eyes. A set of footsteps from behind also caught our attention, bringing the emergence of Ishi into the situation as well.

"Alex, what are you talking about?" Ishi questioned. "What do you mean, Sayori and Yuri will die?" She maintained a look of professionalism, but clear signs of worry bled through. With a deep breath, I returned my head to face forward and closed my eyes.

"You probably won't believe me when I say this, but..." I hesitated before explaining. "Mc, Monika, Sayori, Yuri, Natsuki, and Tiffany have been caught in a loop, I guess you could say, for quite a long time now. What you are remembering are the memories of all those loops. Sayori and Yuri have died more times than anyone else here, so they probably won't be able to withstand remembering all this. Do you understand?"

There was a short pause, one which I had no more patience for. Without waiting for any longer than three seconds, I turned around and bolted down the hall, pushing my way past Ishi and almost falling down the stairs. A quick look behind me confirmed that Monika was following me.

"You save Sayori, I'll take care of Yuri, got it?" I planned. Monika nodded, and we split off as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

I made a straight bolt towards the kitchen, gasping as I entered, despite having already known the signs. Yuri stood at the counter, holding a kitchen knife towards her chest, prepared to stab herself. I had flashbacks to when she tried this back in the hallway a while back, so I quickly dashed over and grabbed the knife handle before she could do anything.

"Yuri! Snap out of it!" I yelled. Yuri turned to me, a crazed look in her eyes.

"Just let go." She responded sadly. "I can't take any more of this."

Her surprising tone almost made me let go of the knife handle. It was so incredibly sad and somber. It was like both of her personalities had combined into one, her yandere personality enhancing the negative points of her dandere one.

"Yuri, I know what you're going through right now, but doing this will only make things worse." I told her. Yuri suddenly took on an angry expression.

"You don't know what I'm going through!" She replied angrily. "So many deaths! So many losses! Don't you DARE tell me you've experienced the same!"

Her personalities were out of control. Not only that, but she was just as strong as she was the last time this happened. Meaning she was still just as difficult to overpower. If I could just find an edge...

'_That's it!'_ I thought. '_The memories!'_

It was a crazy idea. A stupid one as well. If I could somehow exploit the memories she was remembering, I could probably get her to back down. At the time, there was only one thing I could think of. One event from one mod that I knew would work, and this is where the stupid idea comes into play.

I transitioned my grip on the knife from the handle to the blade.

'_Ow! FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!'_

The pain was unbearable, but I pushed through. The memory that I was trying to exploit was from a mod I used to play all the time: A Brand-New Day. If Yuri truly remembered everything, then she was bound to remember that time Mc cut himself on her knife to stop her from killing herself.

"What are you doing?!" Yuri asked. I winced in pain.

"Yuri... if you really... remember everything..." I spoke between breaths. "Then you should... remember when Mc... did this... to save you..." There was a change in Yuri's expression.

"How... how do you know that?!" Yuri demanded. It was quite difficult to answer that whilst I was currently being cut, but that didn't stop me.

"I've known you... for a long time..." I grunted. "Much longer... than you've known me..."

"W-what?" Yuri was starting to sound confused, proving that my plan was working.

"Where I come from... the Literature Club... is famous..." It was getting increasingly hard to hold the knife, so I was trying to get things wrapped up. "There are people... out there... who've seen... what you... just saw. I am one... of those people..." Yuri's expression continued into mild surprise as her grip on the knife slightly loosened.

"I... don't understand..." Yuri was starting to cry, a detail that seemed to surprise even her.

"You don't need... to understand... yet, Yuri..." I tried my best to smile. "Just... let go... and let me... handle the rest..."

Yuri's crying intensified by quite a bit, tears streaming down her cheeks constantly. She was no longer pulling the knife towards her, like she had completely forgot it was there. Meanwhile, I continued to smile at her reassuringly.

Finally, she let go of the knife and fell to her knees. I grabbed the knife by the handle with my left hand and released the blade from my right. The cut was moderately deep, but not life-threatening as long as I got medical attention. I placed the blood-covered knife on the kitchen table to my left and turned my attention back to Yuri.

She was on her hands and knees facing me, tears dripping down off her chin and cheeks and pooling on the floor beneath her. It was a sight that made me completely forget about my bleeding hand. I kneeled down in front of Yuri, startling her into looking up.

"Alex, I..." She appeared to be on the verge of breaking down. "I'm so sorry..." She closed her eyes and continued sobbing, feeling guilty about the previous scuffle.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about, Yuri." I rested my undamaged hand on her shoulder, slightly surprising her. "If Mc forgave you the first time this happened, then there's no reason why I wouldn't do the same."

Yuri looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. A small, thankful smile slowly crawled along her mouth, reassuring me that she was okay. I saw her gaze shift to behind me, to which I promptly turned around. There, at the entrance to the kitchen, Mc, Natsuki, Tiffany, and Ishi stared on in shock.

"Hey, guys." I greeted them casually. "How long have you been standing there?" I stood up, trying to keep a straight face while battling the intense worry inside me.

"S-since you grabbed the knife blade." Ishi responded, thrown off by my nonchalance.

"Alex..." Mc stepped forward. "How did you know about that?" He had a suspicious look on his face.

"If I told you now, you wouldn't believe me." I sighed. "I'd rather explain that with Monika."

There was a sudden, tense silence at the name. The others who remembered clearly didn't trust her yet, and the ones who didn't remember were probably just going along. It was a difficult situation to be in, especially when Monika suddenly stepped into the kitchen from the living room, Sayori standing next to her.

"Oh, there you are." I turned to them. "I see everything went alri-" I suddenly stopped when I saw her sorrow-filled expression, aimed at the others.

A quick scan of the area confirmed the situation. Everyone stared at Monika with a suspicious (in the case of Mc, hate-filled) expression, whereas Monika looked back with guilt. Sayori had a sad expression, staring at the floor. It almost felt like years had passed before someone said something.

"I understand that you may not trust me right now," Monika started, "but I truly don't want anyone else to get hurt-"

"I don't want to fucking hear it!" Mc snapped. "I've watched you kill everyone in this room so many goddamn times! If you really think that I'm going to just take your word for it, then you're wrong!" The air in the room suddenly felt ten times heavier, so I felt it necessary to step in.

"Then what about my word?" I inquired. "If you don't believe Monika, then believe me. She's not your enemy." Mc was practically fuming.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT WHEN-" Mc was suddenly cut off.

"Enough!" Ishi ordered, stopping everything in the kitchen. "We are going nowhere if we continue like this. Alex is injured, Monika is being accused, and NO ONE is making any progress towards resolving any of these issues!"

The sudden rant shocked everyone in the room, including myself. I never knew Ishi could be so forceful with her words.

Eventually, after a few seconds of conversing, we made up a plan of healing my wound, then all meeting in the living room so Monika and I could explain everything. Mc, who was still oddly angry, objected to this plan for some reason. We were able to calm him down somewhat with a promise that Monika would be in the same room as everyone else so as to keep multiple pairs of eyes on her.

Ishi, Natsuki, and I went back upstairs to the bathroom while everyone else filed into the living room. As our groups parted, Monika turned around and gave me one last desperate smile before Mc urged her forward.

We walked down the hallway in silence. A silence filled with suspicion and worry. Natsuki kept glancing at me from the corner of her eye, as if I would make some sort of move at any time. She was clearly being cautious of me, a thought that very much scared me.

We finally reached the end of the hall, turning to the right into the bathroom. I sat down as Ishi got the medical supplies out of the medicine cabinet and Natsuki sat on a nearby stool. She continued looking at me with that wary gaze. I looked back, and she looked away.

"Nat-" I tried to speak to her but was interrupted.

"Don't." She cut me off. "It's not that I don't trust you. I just... don't know what to think right now."

Those words nearly cut my heart in half, even if they weren't meant to.

*Five minutes later*

Our group of three entered the living room, a new bandage now on my right hand. We took our seats, but there was something off about everything.

Ishi sat in her normal chair, but Natsuki, Mc, Yuri, and Tiffany all sat across from Sayori, Monika, and I. They kept their suspicious gazes locked on Monika, but I could feel the looks pass onto myself from time to time. The sorrow look on Sayori's face suggested she felt the same.

"So..." Mc started. "What the hell ARE you?" It was a strange question to start off with, but an understandable one.

"The same as you." Monika answered simply. "A person."

I was surprised by how she was holding herself together, but the small shaking of her hands made it clear she was barely holding on.

"Okay, then..." Mc grumbled frustratedly. "WHO are you?"

"The same person I introduced myself as. Monika Kontororu." Monika responded.

"You know what? Fuck it." Mc said. "Explain everything that's going on, and don't try anything." Mc wasn't even trying to hide his frustration. Monika took a deep breath.

"A while ago, I went insane with loneliness and killed off my friends so I could be with you." A tear fell out of Monika's eye, but that was the only crack in her composure. "After being destroyed myself by you, I was released from the grips of madness and realised what I'd just done. I've since been spending all my time on trying to save you all."

"BULLSHIT!" Mc banged his fist on the coffee table. "I remember what you did! We ALL remember what you did! Who here would just take your word for it?!"

"Me." I cut in. "I would take her word for it."

Mc looked at me with an incredulous expression. That feeling transitioned to everyone else in the room besides Monika and myself. Mc seemed like he couldn't even believe what I'd just said, so it took quite a while for him to form a coherent response.

"W-why would YOU take her word for it?" Mc exclaimed. "What has she done that would prove her claim?!"

"Because I've been helping her with it this entire goddamn time!" I suddenly yelled.

The tension in the room shifted all at once from hostility to surprise. Mc seemed to sink back into the couch as he tried to process what I'd just said. No one said something for a while, up until Mc finally got a hold of the information.

"B-but why?" Mc stuttered. "But why would she get YOUR help? You're a friend of mine from Canada! Why would you be the one she goes to for help?!" I almost cringed at the fact that I was about to break his and Sayori's hearts.

"Because me being a friend from your childhood was just a cover story." I blurted out, making Mc's and Sayori's eyes go wide. "Your memories of me are fake. They're not real. The first time I met you personally was when I woke up here on Tuesday."

There was a long silence, like when the power goes out at a concert. Mc looked at me in disbelief. I couldn't meet his eyes no matter how hard I tried. A quick look at Monika showed that she was just as shocked as Mc that I just let that information out. I could feel eyes all around me, which made it feel like hell until someone finally spoke.

"Alex..." Natsuki whimpered. "Who are you?"

The topic of conversation changed just like that. The suspicion on Monika was wiped clear as everyone focused on me. I looked around at everyone else, all having the same expression. They were scared. Scared that I wasn't the person I was thought to be this entire time.

With this in mind, I took a deep breath and began to tell them everything.

"My name is Alex, I am eighteen years old, and I'm from Canada. That much is true." I explained, looking down. "However, I'm not just some transfer student. In my world, you all exist as characters inside a psychological horror/visual novel video game called 'Doki Doki Literature Club'. The game itself just so happens to match up exactly with what happened... back then. You all know what I'm talking about."

There was a stunned silence following the sudden bomb of information. Everyone was clearly in disbelief but couldn't find any reason to not believe me. As crazy as it probably sounded to them all, there was no reason for me to lie at this point.

"That's... crazy." Mc, however, was still trying to deny it. "There's no way that's possible!"

"If that's not possible, then how do you explain how I knew everything about you all?!" I stood up, confusing some of the people in the room. "Explain to me how I knew about Sayori's depression and attempted suicide! Explain to me how I knew about Yuri's cutting!" I turned to look at Natsuki. "And tell me how I knew about Natsuki's abuse..."

A shocked silence permeated the air as I finished my rant. Mc's expression showed that he'd far given up at this point. There was no doubt now that what I was claiming was true. I slowly sat back down and waited for someone to respond.

"So... you're from another world?" Ishi asked incredulously. I didn't expect her to be the first one to speak up.

"...Yeah, I am." I answered. "But that's not what's important right now. Didn't you all want to question Monika?"

I felt like kind of a dick for pushing the focus all on Monika, but at that point, my personal feelings were overriding my will to care. Everything was being revealed, and it was only a matter of time before I had to talk about THAT.

I shivered at the thought.

"Er... right." Mc leaned forward, thrown off by how casually I let this information out. "So, Monika... you really are just trying to save us?"

"Yes, I am." Monika answered, oddly weakly. "However, this isn't the first time. I've watched you all die countless times. I've failed to save you all before, and if it weren't for Alex, I'm fairly certain we wouldn't all be alive to have this conversation."

There was yet another long silence. Understandable, considering how much was just explained in such short time.

"S-so... t-that's it?" Tiffany questioned. "W-we're just going to accept this and go on with our day? Monika has watched us all die, Alex is from another dimension, and we're just going to stop there?"

"No." Natsuki suddenly said. "We're not done here."

It wasn't a commanding tone, but it may as well have been. Everyone turned their heads to Natsuki. She stared at me, a strange look of worry in her eyes. It wasn't caused by any physical thing, but a feeling of tense anticipation found its way inside of me. Like I was approaching a boss halfway through a video game.

"Alex... what will you do after all this is over?" Natsuki inquired, small tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Will... will you just go back to your own world once we're all safe?"

The air in the room seemed to drop temperature drastically. Everyone's expressions became solemn and worry-filled, same as Natsuki's. It was a question that I'd thought of many times, but always came to the same conclusion on:

"No, I'm staying here." I answered, my eyes down. "There's nothing back there for me, anyway..."

The disbelief in the room was practically tangible. Everyone, excluding Monika, were shocked by my words. Despite not knowing specifically why I said this, the heaviness of my words was enough to give them a good idea. I was a person who'd experienced serious loss, and my tone proved it.

"Alex, are you talking about-" Sayori started, but I interrupted.

"Yes, but there's more." I'd only ever told Sayori about my sister's death, so even she was mostly in the dark. "I... need to go grab something. I'll be right back."

I stood up without waiting for a response and left the living room. The trip to my room felt too short, probably because I only wanted to delay the inevitable. I opened up my bedside drawer and reached inside, pulling out the two framed photographs of my family and friends.

A tear fell onto one of them as I turned around and went back, the journey once again feeling much too short. I entered the living room again and sat down in the same spot, feeling concerned eyes all around me. I held up the two photographs for everyone to see.

"Do you see these photos?" I asked, to which everyone nodded hesitantly. "Well, everyone in them is dead."

My arm holding the photographs fell to my lap, as did my gaze. I felt disconnected after admitting this, so I couldn't tell the reactions.

"Two years ago, there was this attack on my school." I explained sadly. "A group of terrorists had planted a bunch of bombs everywhere, which caused the school to collapse. None of my friends survived."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Monika's. I promptly brushed it away.

"Two months ago, my parents were murdered by a robber in a convenience store. The culprits were never arrested." I continued. "And just two weeks after that... I found out my sister hanged herself in her room..."

There was complete silence afterwards. Everyone was too shocked to comment. Meanwhile, I continued to be deaf to the world. The memories of the events popped into my mind and my breathing quickened.

The images of the dead bodies piled themselves into my mind one after another, pounding their way deeper and deeper into my consciousness. I was never able to save even a single one of them, so what was the point of continuing to try? Nothing mattered to me anymore. Nothing was important. Nothing-

I felt a soft hand lightly grip my shoulder. The images slowly got dimmer and dimmer, until they eventually just disappeared. I opened my eyes back up and looked straight forward. Natsuki was there, holding my shoulder and giving me a reassuring smile.

"N-Nat..." Was all I could muster to say. Fortunately, Natsuki didn't need me to say anything else.

"Everything will be fine, Alex." She said, leaning in closer and pulling me into a light hug. "We're here for you. You don't need to be alone."

I felt a torrent of tears falling out of my eyes, like a floodgate opened and just let an ocean's worth of water free. I began to openly cry, returning the hug and burying my face into Natsuki's shoulder. It wasn't a flattering scene, yes, but I didn't care.

Natsuki rubbed the back of my head as she comforted me with kind words. It was at that very moment that something finally clicked. I wasn't all that different from anyone there. I had my own mental weaknesses, same as all of them. I didn't have to rely on only myself to get further.

"Nat... thank you..." I thanked her.

"Don't even need it." She joked. "Just let it all out."

And so I did. I cried. I cried out all the tears my eyes could produce, taking my fears with them. Each tear was filled with all the sadness and loss I'd sustained over the past two years. As each tear dripped down, it took these feelings with them. Natsuki's voice... Natsuki's touch...

It gave me hope.

Seconds passed. Then minutes. I don't know how long I cried, but it was long enough that my eyes ran out of tears to cry. My cheeks finally running dry, I lightly pulled away and looked into Natsuki's eyes. Those beautiful, pink eyes that I fell in love with. With all the loss I'd gone through, I found myself briefly wondering whether things were better to turn out this way for me.

Natsuki gave me a small, cheery smile. I found myself unable to resist mirroring it.

"Ahem." Mc cleared his throat. "A-anyway..." Natsuki and I looked at Mc, who was blushing slightly. I suddenly realised that the situation had gotten slightly uncomfortable.

"O-oh, right." Natsuki blushed slightly, then sat down to my left.

There was a short silence as everyone thought of what to say next. The amount they just learned about me far outnumbered how much they knew about me before. It was probably really confusing for them.

"The poem..." Yuri mumbled. "That's what the poem was about, wasn't it?"

It took me a moment to understand what she meant, then I remembered the poem I wrote for the school festival:

"_Not many people can understand my strife."_

"_Depression? Loss? Heh, story of my life."_

"_That was the old me, but now I am new."_

"_And I believe that's all thanks to you."_

"_You see, that day would've been my last."_

"_However, you helped me let go of my past."_

"_I will never forget the people I've lost."_

"_But I'll still move on, remembering the cost."_

"_I thank you so much, you gave me a reason to live."_

"_You had much to lose, and little to give."_

"_Even so, what you gave me was a very great deed."_

"_Your small gift is all that I need."_

"_Thanks to you, I can finally live happily."_

"_Because, with your help, I've found a new family."_

I recited the poem perfectly, surprising myself with how accurately I could remember it. I slowly turned back to Yuri to say my response.

"Yeah, that's what it's about." I nodded. "If it weren't for Monika, I wouldn't be standing here now."

There was a short silence before Mc stood up suddenly. He turned to face Monika with closed eyes, then bowed low in apology.

"I'm sorry for accusing you so harshly." He apologized. "Please forgive me."

It was a gesture I wouldn't have expected from Mc, but it made sense in context. I didn't know all that much about Japanese courtesy, but I'd seen this done in Japanese media.

"You don't need to apologize, Mc." Monika laughed. "It all worked out in the end."

Mc gave her a strange look, then slowly straightened back up and sat back down again.

"After learning how much Monika has done for all us, I honestly don't think I could doubt anything you guys say." He said. I saw an opportunity to lighten the mood and confuse Mc.

"Your name stands for 'Main Character'." I blurted out jokingly. Mc turned to me with wide eyes.

"I... hate how much sense that makes." He muttered, earning a laugh from everyone.

"How about you change it to McDonald McDouglas McDougle?" Sayori joked, although I couldn't actually tell whether that was a joke or not.

"I hate that even more." Mc replied, earning another set of laughs.

Once the laughter died down, I was hit with a torrent of questions about my own dimension. There unfortunately wasn't much I could say, as most basic facts about the world were the same, but it was nice to finally have all that stress off my shoulders. I was having a surprising amount of fun just talking, and I soon lost track of time.

*Two hours later*

"-and that's why I'm able to communicate with you all." I finished.

"It's quite strange to think that you perceive us as speaking English, but we perceive you as speaking Japanese." Yuri pondered. "This is something beyond merely changing the way your brain thinks, as your lips are clearly mouthing that of English to you but are mouthing that of Japanese to us. It's almost as if your physical form we see is merely a projection of your true body, and your true body is hidden from us on another level of existence..." Yuri looked deep in thought, not noticing the strange stares coming from everyone around her.

Suddenly, a 'ding' sound resonated through the air. I looked around in confusion, not knowing what it was. Mc stood up.

"That was the doorbell." He said. Well, that answered my question.

"It must be Keisatsu, right?" I asked. "Where's he been all this time, anyway?"

"We've been wondering that ourselves." Ishi answered grimly. "He should've been back by the time we all woke up."

There was a long, tense silence as Ishi left those words hanging in the air. We looked amongst ourselves, waiting for something to happen.

"Wouldn't he have come inside by now?" Tiffany questioned. "I mean, he has the key, right?"

"Something's wrong..." Ishi muttered.

After a few more seconds of silence, we all jumped at the sound of a loud "BANG" against the front door. It sounded like someone had just thrown their entire body weight against it, so we were all quickly on guard. However, no more sounds rang out.

"I'll go check it out." I said, standing up. Natsuki grabbed my hand.

"Alex..." She whimpered.

I turned around and looked at her. She had a desperate expression on her face. I'd become so accustomed to this more friendly, fragile version of Natsuki. The look she had was giving me a feeling of worry and guilt.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." I reassured her. "I'll bring the swords."

This seemed to calm her down to the point of letting my arm go.

"Be careful." Mc told me as I walked over to the back of the room to grab the swords. I gave him an affirmative nod.

I picked up both swords and quickly left the room, everyone for some reason trailing behind me. I walked down the hallway, carefully watching the door for any sign of movement. My walking turned into smaller steps, which turned into tiptoeing.

Finally, I stood in front of the door. Unsheathing the silver sword and passing the gold one to the side, I slowly reached for the door. My hand grew closer... closer... closer to the doorknob. I heard quiet sounds of unease behind me.

I rested my hand on the doorknob.

I gripped my fingers around it.

I prepped my muscles to move.

The doorknob slowly turned.

And the door slowly opened up to reveal...

"WHUMP"

I jumped back in surprise as a body flopped inside, pushing the door inward faster than I'd anticipated. However, no muscles on the body moved. It had landed on the floor very roughly, surprising me for a moment before I could study it.

It was wearing a blue-white flannel shirt with blue jeans. It was blonde, with no facial features visible due to it being face-down. He also had a satchel clutched in its left hand, clearly having been very important for him. I noticed all that before I noticed the blood.

Out of his back was a small hole leaking blood. Most likely a bullet wound. He wasn't dead, as he was still breathing. He only passed out from blood loss, explaining the loud bang we heard earlier. The panic of seeing his injury and not knowing how close he was to death worried me, so I quickly reached down and turned him over.

I jumped back in surprise, as did everyone else, as we saw his face.

"W-what?" Monika stuttered, as confused as me.

"It's... him?" Mc.

"It... it can't be." Sayori.

"Why would he be...?" Tiffany.

"This does not make any sense..." Yuri.

"What's going on?" Ishi.

"I-I d-don't understand..." Natsuki.

Meanwhile, I was speechless. Everything that we'd known about the person now laying on the floor made no sense. I didn't have the power to form even a single coherent word. All my mind could comprehend was the identity of the person. My lips moved to form a word. The only word I could think of. The identity of the body:

"O-Okane?"

End of Chapter 12


	21. Chapter 13: The Kamines Part 1

(_Author's Note: As of starting this chapter, the one-year anniversary of Not This Time has just passed yesterday. Because of this, I'd like to thank everyone who's taken interest in Not This Time and supported it all this time. It really means a lot to me that so many people enjoy this series, and I hope that you enjoy the rest of it. I absolutely love developing this story and reading your guys' reviews. Anyway, enough sentimentality, and I'll get on with the chapter.)_

Chapter 13: The Kamines (Part 1)

Saturday, April 13

13:07

"O-Okane?!"

I couldn't believe my eyes. Neither could anyone else, if the murmurs of confusion were anything to go by.

Okane, the person who started out as an enemy and changed to a supposed ally, was now bleeding out on our floor. My mind was flooded with question that seemed to have no answer. Why was he here? Why was he injured? Who shot him? What's in the satchel he's holding?

I wasn't going to get any of these questions answered by just standing around, so I knelt down and picked up his body.

"Ishi, do you think you could help him?" I asked quickly. Ishi took a moment to process what I said before nodding.

"I could probably seal the wound, but it'd take a while for his bone marrow to refill his blood." She explained. "Get him into the living room."

Without waiting for a response, Ishi turned around and bolted up the nearby stairs. By now, everyone had somewhat shaken out of their stupor. As I ran past them, I bumped Mc's shoulder.

"Grab the satchel." I told him.

Not wasting any time, I marched into the living room, Okane in hand, and laid him down on one of the couches. I brought my hand over and pushed down on the wound, trying to lessen the bleeding. The location of the bullet hole was lower in the abdomen, a little bit off to the right.

Ishi eventually arrived with a full medical kit and began working on Okane. She carefully lifted up his white-and-blue flannel shirt and disinfected the wound. Then she steadily rotated a bandage around his midsection, coating the wound in multiple layers of fabric.

Finally, after multiple minutes of stressful silence, Ishi rolled his shirt back down and stepped back, signifying that she was done. A sigh of relief exited everyone's mouth, including mine. Although we couldn't be absolutely sure he was on our side yet, it wouldn't be a good thing to just let him die like that.

"What... happened to him?" I heard Tiffany ask. I thought for a moment.

"Let's see what we can figure out." I answered. "Mc, could you bring that satchel over here?"

Everyone crowded around as Mc carefully placed the satchel on the coffee table. It was a bit small, but big enough for one or two large books to fit inside. However, it was clear just from looking at it that it wasn't filled up all the way. Much of the satchel hung loosely upon its contents.

I reached a hand towards it, but my arm was held back by Natsuki.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You don't know what'll happen if you grab it! It could be dangerous!" She replied. I gave her a confused look.

"What, do you think it'll blow up or something? If it was rigged to explode, it would've done so when Mc picked it up." I explained.

I lightly shook Natsuki off and once again reached for the satchel. I grabbed the flap and lifted it up, hearing a quiet intake of breath from Natsuki. I stopped moving for a few seconds, just in case.

"It seems... fine." Yuri said. "Perhaps it is harmless?"

I leaned in close and peered inside at the interior of the satchel. What I saw confused me quite a lot. It was completely random, nothing like what I'd expected.

"What's in there?" Mc asked.

Instead of answering, I picked up the satchel and turned it over, spilling the contents out onto the coffee table. When everyone laid eyes on what fell out, they seemed just as confused as I was. Because, what had just fallen out of the satchel was...

Five cassette tapes.

"Cassette tapes?" Monika put her hand to her chin. "Why was he carrying cassette tapes?"

"Well... only one way to find out." I said, turning to Mc. "Is there a cassette player around here?"

"My parents have one in their room." He responded.

"I'll go get it." Ishi turned around and left the room.

As Ishi was getting the cassette player, the rest of us arranged the sitting positions. Mc, Yuri, and Tiffany moved the unconscious Okane into a sitting position on the further couch, then sat down in that order. Meanwhile, Natsuki, I, Monika, and Sayori sat on the closer couch.

Looking at Okane sit in the spot that Shiro used to sit in filled me with a faint sadness, but I knew it couldn't be helped. We would get through this, and we'd avenge Shiro's death. No matter what, we would win this.

We sat in silence, the only sound being Okane's deep breathing. I watched as his sleeping form slowly slumped over to the side, his head landing on Tiffany's shoulder. With a slightly annoyed look on her face, Tiffany brought her hand up and forced Okane back to the other side, creating an oddly comedic scene.

'_Okane... who are you?'_ I wondered.

"Okay, I'm back." Ishi's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I turned around and saw Ishi rushing into the room, carrying an old-looking cassette player. It looked like something you'd see in an interrogation scene in a 90s cop show. However, despite this, it was still in pretty much perfect condition. The only sign of wear being a couple of scratches on the surface of the lid.

"Alright, which one do we listen to first?" Mc inquired as soon as his mother put it down.

I grabbed one of the tapes at random and studied it closely. Too closely, in fact, as I immediately found what I was looking for.

On the tape, written in large, black lettering: **11/4/22**.

"April 11, 2022." I read. "That was two days ago..."

"So these tapes were made recently?" Monika asked.

"Seems like it." I nodded. "Now, where is the first one?"

I sorted through the tapes before selecting one labeled as '8/4/22'. Five days ago... I held it up for the others to see.

"This one is dated as the first. It was recorded five days ago, and judging by the dates on the other tapes, we can assume they he recorded one each day." I explained. "Let's listen to this one."

Everyone nodded in agreement as I opened up the player. I placed the tape inside and closed the lid. Pressing the 'play' button, I leaned back and listened to the tape alongside everyone else. It sounded like a collection of people conversing, and I recognized all the voices:

"_Have they awoken, yet?"_

That one was definitely Majo, Okane's mother.

"_No, not yet."_

That one was unmistakably Heishi, Okane's father.

"_I don't see how this guy'll help our plans. I mean, what do we even know about him?"_

I did a double take at that last voice. It was clearly Okane, making everyone turn towards him sleeping on the couch. I paused the recording.

"This was on Monday, so it occurred sometime after the festival." I said. "A lot could've happened between then and now, so let's not jump to any conclusions. Got it?"

I continued the tape without waiting for a response.

_Majo: We know he has the same beliefs as us about the aliens._

_Okane: Why do we have to call them aliens? That's a stupid name-_

The next part in the recording was slightly corrupted, but a loud bang was clearly heard. It sounded like someone's head hit a hard object, which was so loud it probably disrupted the recording. With this in mind, it was likely that the hard object was the table that the recorder they were using was on.

_Okane: AH, FUCK! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!_

_Majo: Don't disrespect the decision of The Great Kami. They are our protector, and we are their subjects. We must cleanse this world of the aliens for them..._

A silence followed, timed at about five to ten seconds.

_Okane: My apologies. Long live the Kamines._

_All three: Long live the Kamines._

Another short silence followed, this one no longer than five seconds.

_Majo: What is it?_

_Heishi: Oh? Um... nothing, dear._

Another loud bang sounded out, corrupting the recording a bit. This one was a bit louder, signifying a heavier collision. Then a loud scream was heard, most likely coming from Heishi.

_Majo: Do NOT refer to me as "dear". You know what happened to HER, don't you?!_

_Heishi: O-of course. M-my apologies, milady._

The next few seconds was filled with the sound of footsteps slowly fading into the distance. I estimated two people leaving.

_Okane: Welp, there they go._

He sighed deeply.

_Okane: Long live the Kamines. Long live Kami... but... why must it be her?_

The recording stopped there, leaving us with barely any new information, but also confirmation on something we already knew.

"So, with this, we can confirm that Okane was at some point a member of the cult group." I said. "Furthermore, we now know the name of said cult group."

"'The Kamines'." Monika recalled. "It also seems like they follow a god by the name of 'Kami', judging by the context clues."

"But that doesn't really give us much to go off of, does it?" Mc pointed out.

"We still have four more tapes to go through." I told him. "There's a lot of potential for more information."

I ejected the current tape and picked up the next, this one dated as '9/4/22'. One day after the previous tape and the day everyone was moved to Mc's house temporarily. Putting in the new tape, I pressed play and listened. It started out with the sound of footsteps quickly approaching, followed by a door being thrown open. An unrecognizable voice was the next thing to be heard:

_Frantic Man: M-Milady!_

_Majo: What is it?_

_Frantic Man: We've just gotten confirmation on the status of the assassin we sent!_

_Majo: And? What of them?_

_Frantic Man: They're... dead. We believe they were cornered, and had to-_

_Majo: I don't care what you believe!_

Footsteps were heard next, estimated to be three people. They fast approached and soon stopped.

_Okane: What's with all the yelling?_

_Frantic Man: The assassin failed to kill them, and died._

_Heishi: Oh, god..._

I froze as I heard the next voice:

_Chad: I told you they wouldn't succeed._

_Majo: *sigh* Leave us._

_Frantic Man: O-of course, Milady._

More footsteps suggested his leaving.

_Majo: Tell me, has our friend awoken yet?_

_Heishi: No, unfortunately. Although we've stabilized his condition, there's no signs of him waking up any time soon._

_Majo: *grumbling*_

_Okane: I-I am not questioning the decision of the Great Kami, but... why is he such an important target?_

_Chad: ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER ALL THE SHIT HE'S BEEN DOING TO OUR WORLD?!_

_Majo: Both of you, calm down. Both of you have told me that this boy is a danger to our success. Killing him is the only option._

_Okane: Understood, M-Milady._

What came next sounded like a muffled voice speaking from a walkie talkie.

_Majo: What?! Bring me there! We CANNOT let him die!_

_*Rapid footsteps leaving*_

_Chad: Don't you ever question the Great Kami again. I will NOT identify with a traitor! You will end up just like "her"!_

_*Footsteps leaving*_

_Okane: But... she's innocent..._

The recording ended once again. I looked among everyone and saw they all had the same expression of confusion and deep thought. I would be lying if I said I wasn't feeling the same.

"We can assume that the 'assassin' they're talking about was that person who attacked Keisatsu and I on Tuesday." I theorized. "This also proves that Chad is working with this cult."

"But who is this person they keep talking about?" Yuri inquired. "They keep mentioning someone who appears to be in critical health. Who could that be?"

"I have an idea, but let's listen to the rest of the tapes before coming to any conclusions." I said as I played the next tape, this one labelled as 10/4/22, the day I mysteriously was poisoned.

The tape started out with a series of loud bangs and cracks, with a few screams of pain mixed in there:

_Majo: You failure!_

_*Another bang and scream of pain*_

_Okane: I did nothing wrong!_

_Majo: LIES!_

_*One last bang and scream of pain*_

_Majo: You were meant to end him, so why is he still alive?!_

_Okane: *Crying in pain* I don't know!_

_Unknown voice: That is enough._

This new voice I didn't recognize. They were clearly using a voice changer, as they sounded several octaves deeper than should be possible for any human being.

_Majo: *-*&$(! I-I did not know that you were-_

For some reason, the audio was corrupted at that exact moment. Of course, it corrupted at the most important part!

_Unknown voice: Silence! I have just gotten word that our friend has awoken. Go... introduce him..._

_Majo: Yes, my lord._

What came next sounded like a series of small clicks. They sounded quite close, but I had no idea what the source could be. However, it seemed like that would be cleared up quite quickly when Mc paused the recording.

"That sounds to me like the recording mechanism was rigged to be disconnected." He explained. "It would have a much shorter battery time than the recorder itself, but it would reach up to ten minutes probably."

"How do you know this?" I asked. Mc shrugged.

"You learn things from your father being the police chief." He answered simply.

I resumed the recording:

_Majo: You! Come with me._

_Okane: Y-yes, milady._

_*Continuous footsteps*_

_Okane: H-he is through here?_

_Majo: Yes, now be respectful. He is above you._

_*Door creaking open, followed by more footsteps*_

Nothing could have prepared me, or Natsuki for that matter, for what came next. The voice we heard:

_Hiran: Who the fuck are you people?!_

I paused the recording as soon as I could, not letting it even start his second sentence. Everything suddenly made sense, but that only made it more terrifying. The man whom we almost killed was seemingly with the Kamines. A truth that made Monika, Tiffany, Natsuki, and I freeze in fear.

I turned to Natsuki, who was violently shivering with a terrified look on her face. Even just hearing her father's name put her into this state, so hearing his voice speaking must've been even worse for her.

I brought my arm around and pulled her close to calm her down. Natsuki hugged herself close to me as Mc, Sayori, Yuri, and Ishi looked at us strangely.

"Who was that?" Sayori asked.

'_Of course.' _I thought. '_They never heard his voice before.'_

"That was... Natsuki's dad." I answered as Natsuki's grip slightly tightened. Their eyes all went wide as they realised the same as I did.

I was worried about Natsuki, so I held off on resuming the recording.

"Just do it." Natsuki said.

"What?" I responded.

"Just play the tape. I can handle it." She seemed like she was just barely holding on, but I abided by her wishes. Keeping my arm around her, I resumed the tape:

_Hiran: Who the fuck are you people?! And where is-_

_Majo: At ease, Mr. Kurushimi. We are not your enemies. Quite the opposite, in fact._

_Hiran: What the fuck is going on?_

_Majo: We are an organization devoted to ridding the world of those who are unworthy. I do believe you have had an encounter with one of these people before?_

_Hiran: So... you're a cult, is what you're saying._

_Majo: I prefer the term... protectors._

_Hiran: Why did you help me?_

_Majo: Getting right to the point, I see. Well, Mr. Kurushimi, I believe that we can work together in a way that benefits us both._

_Hiran: Okay... I'm listening._

_Majo: I'll cut right to the chase here. We have been having trouble with the same person you have. If we work together to... "disappear" him, then both of us will profit. What do you say?_

_Hiran: ...You're talking about that fucking Canadian kid, aren't you?!_

_Majo: Mr. Kurushimi, please calm down._

_Hiran: I will tear him limb from limb, even worse than what he did to me! I will take back what I own!_

_Majo: Securi-_

_Hiran: Stop!_

A long, tense pause followed, giving me time to process what he'd just said. His threats of what he wanted to do to me scared me, but him saying he owned Natsuki pissed me off more.

_Hiran: You have yourself a deal, lady. However, I want one other thing in return._

_Majo: What is it?_

_Hiran: I want that little whore back._

I heard some quiet whimpering, supposedly from Okane.

_Majo: You may go, now. Me and this man have much to talk about._

_Okane: O-of course, milady._

_*Footsteps*_

_Boy: *Whispering* What do I do?_

The tape stopped right there. In this one tape, so much was revealed to us. Hiran was clearly working with the Kamines, they were coming for us, and they had a definitive leader. While it didn't clear up ALL the mysteries, it still gave us some answers we didn't have prior.

We skipped discussing that tape and immediately played the next one, this one labelled 11/4/22:

_Majo: Report?_

_Chad: Nothing to report, milady. We had no encounters nor attempts on his life._

_Majo: I wasn't talking to you. You, what is YOUR report?_

Just like the last tape, a new person was talking that shocked us. However, unlike the previous tape, the voice wasn't of someone we feared. It was of one we considered a close friend up until recently:

_Shiro: They still suspect nothing. Soon, we will have what is owed to us._

I paused the recording without even noticing it. Everyone had the same look of shock and fear in their eyes. Mouths gaped open past the gasps and muscles tensed all throughout the body. Of all the people... of all the fucking people.

"W-why is S-Shiro talking to t-them?" Natsuki stuttered. "H-he can't be..."

"H-he was." I confirmed reluctantly. "Shiro was... working with the Kamines..."

An incredibly long silence permeated the air. Each one of us was trying our best to process this, but we just couldn't accept it as fact. The idea that Shiro, someone we thought was our close friend, turned out to be working with the enemy. The concept that the clumsy, socially awkward, enthusiastic otaku we'd grown so close to was the enemy was just absurd.

However, as I thought about it more, I realised that a part of the puzzle had fallen out.

'_But... if he was with the Kamines, then why was he killed?'_ I wondered.

Before I could think about it any further, Natsuki nudged my arm.

"What is it?" I asked. Natsuki gave me a pained look.

"Play the tape." She said, looking away. "Let's just get this over with."

I opened my mouth to protest but decided against it. Everyone knew what had to be done. We had to listen to each of these tapes in order to figure out what the hell was going on. If we didn't, we stood no chance.

With shaking hands, I reached over and pressed the play button:

_Heishi: I am not questioning you, milady, but I'm not completely sure this is of our best interest. Isn't the boy's death our main goal?_

_Majo: Hmm. So you DO have some semblance of a brain in that head of yours. To answer your question, yes. The boy's death is our main goal. However, this object is of equal value._

_Hiran: What did you say this thing was for?_

_Majo: It will allow us to bring him back to us, and our mission shall finally come to fruition._

She put on some emphasis when she said 'him'. I didn't know why, but my blood chilled when I heard her say it.

_Shiro: Back to the task at hand... the plan commences tomorrow, yes?_

_Majo: Precisely. You know what to do. Kill him. And if the others try to stop you, kill them too. I trust the weapon I sent you will be sufficient?_

_Shiro: Leave it to me. Over and out._

_*Clicking of keyboard keys*_

_Okane: M-milady?_

_Majo: What is it?_

_Okane: Um... never mind._

_*Short pause*_

_Majo: Very well. Let us go. You stay here and clean up. It's all you're good for anyway._

_*Footsteps leaving*_

_*Long pause*_

_Okane: I can't let this continue... Alex... Monika... Natsuki... please look out._

The recording stopped once again. This time, I immediately took it out and picked up the final one. As I did so, Mc spoke up.

"It sounds like Shiro was talking through a speaker." He theorized. "They had to have been in a call or video message with him, so I think it's safe to say they had this call while Shiro was living here."

"Mmm." I acknowledged. I didn't have the energy to respond, so I just put the fifth and final tape in, labelled 13/4/22, just earlier today:

_*Door slamming open*_

_Okane: Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck_

We heard metal grinding against stone, sounding like a large, metal object was being dragged along a stone floor.

_*Loud bangs*_

_Majo: *Muffled* You fucking traitor! I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE!_

_Okane: Yeah, I'll pass on that!_

_*Rapid footsteps*_

_Okane: Goddammit, I need to get out of here._

_*Several small clicks*_

_Okane: These recordings should be enough to convince them. I knew I was right to hide it here._

_*Bangs become more numerous*_

_Chad: You bastard! I thought I could trust you!_

_Okane: Same to you, Chad._

_*Bangs get louder*_

_Hiran: Get the fuck out here so I can kill you! How DARE you side with the Canadian!_

_Okane: He was brought to this world to save people! I will not side with those who want to kill an innocent person!_

_*Several small clicks*_

_*Bangs suddenly stop*_

_Heishi: Please, son. Is this truly what you want?_

_*Short pause*_

_Okane: Yes. This is what I want. And it's clearly what you want. You were just too scared to act._

_*Several small clicks*_

_*One big click*_

_Okane: Yes! Now, to get out of here-_

_*Door breaks down*_

_*Gunshot*_

_*Audio cuts out*_

The final tape cut out, leaving us with all the answers they could give us. However, I was only just barely listening past the halfway point. What Okane said... how could he say that? A look around the room suggested everyone was thinking the same as me.

"Okane... did he just..." Monika muttered.

"'He was brought to this world to save people'." I recited. "Yeah, he just said that."

"But that means..." Natsuki trailed off.

"He knows." Mc concluded. "He knows that Alex isn't from this world."

Everyone grew silent, including myself.

'_Okane...'_ I thought, looking at said person. '_Who are you...?'_

*Thirty minutes later*

After all that shock, the eight of us didn't know what to do. For a full thirty minutes, we all just sat there in silence. A few of us tried to make conversation, but they all quickly died out into more silence.

Ishi had carried Okane upstairs, into what used to be Shiro's room. I couldn't tell whether or not I was happy with that. A week ago, I would've disregarded that concept entirely. But, now that we knew about what Shiro's true nature was, I didn't know what to think anymore.

Time passed as we sat there, unknown to all of us how long. It wasn't until my stomach grumbled that I took a look at my watch.

"It's 4 pm." I stated to no expected response.

'_Keisatsu still isn't back yet...'_ I thought. '_What could be happening?'_

I suddenly had a realisation, making me stand up in a bolt.

"They got him..." I muttered to myself, causing everyone to look at me. "The Kamines... they got a hold of Keisatsu!"

Everyone's eyes went wide at this proclamation.

"What makes you say that?" Monika asked. I shuddered as I connected the dots.

"Keisatsu said he was going to Kuro's house to break the news about Shiro's death." I explained. "If Shiro was actually with the Kamines... then could that mean..."

"K-Kuro is also with the Kamines?!" Mc exclaimed.

A feeling of tension filled the air between us. The theory was too obvious to dispute. It all fit together. There was always something off about Kuro, but I just assumed it was his natural attitude. But if he was really a part of all this...

"I need to go." I said before frantically bolting towards the front door.

A few people called after me to stop, but I drowned them out in my worry. I threw open the door and ran out into the cold night, sprinting down the street at full speed. I remembered where Kuro's house was by memorizing the route. I followed my mental directions, leaving everyone behind...

*Ten minutes later*

I turned a corner and continued my run, feeling myself getting closer.

'_Come on... just a little farther...'_

I glanced at the houses next to me as I ran, trying to find Kuro's.

'_I know it's somewhere around here... now where...'_ I mentally celebrated as I laid eyes upon a specific house. '_There!'_

The house was just as I remembered it. It looked like a cutaway art piece. One side was perfectly sustained, maintained to the ideal appearance of a property. Meanwhile, the other side looked like it had been left alone for years.

'_Why is it like this?'_ Was a question lingering in the back of my mind. However, I had more important things to worry about.

It was as I was running up the property to the front door that I realised something: I was completely unarmed. I hadn't brought the two swords with me, so I would have to rely entirely on hand-to-hand combat if need be.

I reached the porch and busted in the door, reducing it to mostly splinters. I prioritized speed over stealth, so I didn't care how much noise I made.

"Keisatsu!" I called out. "Where are you?!"

I listened to my voice echoing throughout the house, eventually fading into just silence.

No... not just silence.

It was faint, so faint that I could barely hear it in perfect silence. Like a vertical pin dropping into the ocean, I heard quiet banging from upstairs. It was weak, but clearly tangible.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" My mouth outran my thoughts as my legs carried me up the nearby stairs.

Nothing stopped me as I rose up the stairs. I didn't hear or see anything at the top, so it had to be clear. However, that deduction, unlike the one from earlier, was in vain.

As soon as my foot hit the top step, something smacked into me from around the corner, making me see stars and sending me flying backwards down the stairs. I hit stair after stair, trying to protect my torso and head with my arms. I eventually collapsed in a heap onto the floor, bruised but otherwise uninjured.

"You know, you've always pissed me off, Alex." A voice called from the top step. "Being the 'good guy' and protecting those who 'deserve it'. If I hadn't been given other orders, I would've killed you LONG ago!"

"I know that voice..." I muttered, looking up the stairs. "Chad..."

"Ding ding ding! You got it!" Chad mockingly called as he sauntered down the stairs.

He was wearing a plain black t-shirt and black jeans. He held what looked like a metal baseball bat, but it was clearly designed exclusively for fighting. The tip of it was larger than a normal baseball bat, and the grip was more like the hilt of a sword. It looked a bit ridiculous, but it was definitely deadly.

"I knew it." I said, standing up. "You're with the Kamines."

"How'd you figure it out?" He asked sarcastically. "Was it the fact that I nearly broke skull just a moment ago? Or did you learn it from that goddamn traitor, Okane?"

I backed away slowly, going away from the door.

"Why are you doing this? What would you gain?" I interrogated.

"I don't really gain anything, to be honest." He shrugged, but then pointed his weapon at me. "Except for being able to enjoy killing YOU."

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he rushed at me with his weapon raised above his head. I dodged to the right as he swung it downward, then ducked as he made a return-swing to the side.

"What? That's the only reason?!" I exclaimed, leaning to the side to dodge another blow.

"Oh, like I'd tell you!" Chad laughed. "I'm not stupid enough to give away our secrets!"

I continued to dodge Chad, slowly backing away down the hall. My aim was to lure him into an area where I could find a weapon of my own.

I took another step back, passing by a closet. Chad rose his weapon above his head for another blow but didn't attack immediately. I found it strange, as he'd attacked immediately every time before that.

Suddenly, I realised, but it was already too late.

The closet next to me burst open, and a large figure flew out. They slammed into me and pressed me against the wall, leaving me open to attack. It took me a moment to see their face.

"Heishi?!"

"Sorry, kid." Heishi reared a fist back to punch me at the same time Chad swung down with his bat.

Quickly thinking, I leaned my head down to dodge the punch, removing myself from the area between Chad's bat and Heishi's fist. The bat struck his fist, making him reel back in pain, clutching his arm.

Taking advantage of this momentary diversion, I bolted a bit further down the hall, running into the adjacent room: The kitchen.

'_A kitchen. Perfect.' _I thought.

That though was short-lived, however, as I suddenly felt a stabbing pain in my right eye. I caught a glimpse of movement around the corner, but that area of vision quickly went blind.

I screamed out in pain and grabbed at the air, somehow grabbing the assailant's arm. I instinctually pushed them away, knocking them back, but bringing even more pain to my eye. I closed my eye and pressed my palm to that area, then pulled it away. However, the right side of my vision didn't return.

'_What the...'_ My thoughts were interrupted by a strong blow to the back of my head.

The blow knocked me to the ground, landing on my face. A moment of thought later, I turned around onto my back and looked up at the two, no, THREE people staring down at me.

There was Chad, his bat slightly red from my blood. There was Heishi, an unreadable expression on his face. And finally... there was Majo. She held a bloody knife, a round object on the end of it. It was this round object that terrified me with its presence on the knife.

Now I knew why I couldn't see everything I was looking at. It was because Ishi STABBED OUT MY EYEBALL.

"W-w-wha-" I couldn't even form a coherent sentence. I was so filled with fear. For the first time in a while, I felt like I might actually die.

"Stop." A professional-sounding voice ordered from behind them. "That's enough. We'll bring him back to our base. Torture is a much more... fitting punishment. Wouldn't you say?"

Chad, Heishi, and Majo stepped aside and a fourth figure emerged.

"Yes, Master Kami." They all said in unison.

This new arrival combined with the way they referred to him seemed impossible. There's no way he was the leader. He COULDN'T be. The person standing in front of me was only-

"Knock him out."

_SMACK_

.

.

.

**{Monika POV}**

*Ten minutes earlier*

The seven of us stood near the doorway, calling after Alex into the night. There was a short time where we could see him running down the street, but he quickly turned a corner out of sight.

We continued to call after him desperately, not daring to take even a single step outside. My voice eventually just gave up, and only air came out the next time I opened my mouth. Soon, other voices died down one by one. Eventually, silence consumed us all.

After giving up on yelling out the front door, we merely waited there. And waited. And waited. Waiting for him to come back. A minute passed, then three, then five. Still no sign of Alex, so our worry intensified.

"Do... do you think he's okay?" Sayori asked me.

"He has to be." I answered, conjuring the rest of my remaining courage. "The Alex I know wouldn't just die like this."

"You've never seen the power of the Kamines." A familiar voice suddenly said behind us.

We all turned around to see Okane, up and well at the bottom of the stairs. He was leaning heavily against the stair railing, clutching his stomach where the bullet wound was. He had a slightly pained expression, but impressively hid it behind a grim façade.

I was surprised to see him up so soon, considering that he fainted of blood loss not even an hour ago. However, while I was surprised, I also felt conflicted. Okane was an enemy in the past, but there was nothing to say he was our friend. The others clearly felt the same. Seeing the look in their eyes, Okane sighed.

"I know you don't trust me, but-"

"Don't even start!" Tiffany snapped unexpectedly. "I don't want to hear any excuses!" She marched up to Okane angrily and stared him in the face, waiting for a response. Okane merely looked down, casting a shadow over his face.

"If not for me, you would already be dead." Okane said.

Without missing a beat, Tiffany suddenly picked him up and slammed him against the wall to her right, holding him up by the throat. The sound of his body hitting the wall resonated through the air. This added to the surprise of the scene before us.

Instead of doing anything about it, Okane just went limp. He accepted the abuse and hung there. I surged forward to interfere.

"Wait." Okane ordered. I stopped, not because I was following his order, but because it surprised me that he would say such a thing.

"I only want to talk." Okane explained. "I'll tell you everything you want to know. All I ask in return is that you help me."

"What is it that you want?" I asked before Tiffany could. Okane stayed silent for a few moments before responding.

"I want you to help me save my sister." He answered, a barely visible tear rolling down his cheek.

There was confusion among us. We all knew his sister, Iine, was quite different from what we believed the Burondos to be. She was a shy girl, not appearing to be the type to get caught up in something like this. If Okane wanted our help to save her, it must've been a pretty serious situation.

"Save her from what?" Tiffany asked condescendingly. Okane put on a grim expression.

"The Kamines." He answered grimly.

*Five minutes later*

After a bit of convincing, we were able to get Tiffany to let Okane go. We had the tensest walk to the living room ever, suspicion and uncertainty flowing between our group.

Everyone sat down in their respective spots, Tiffany a bit miffed that she had to sit next to Okane again. Eventually, she gave up and sat down, staring daggers at Okane. He didn't respond, staring down at his lap as he told the full story:

"_The Kamines are an ancient cult group that has existed ever since the middle ages, when two nobles from opposing kingdoms were married. These nobles were Prince Oji Shiroi and Princess Ojo Burondo. The two kingdoms were united, but the religious teachings of both were incompatible. To fix this, the prince and princess, now king and queen, deconstructed the two religions and created a new one: The Kamines."_

"_However, this religion was more than just a way to sooth the masses. When Oji and Ojo were married, many of their people cursed them for their love. They hated them so much that they stormed the castle where they lived. Most of them were quickly killed, but there was one person who was able to get through the lines and into the castle."_

"_This person dual-wielded two swords he claimed came from a god. One sword was gold, while the other was silver. He introduced himself as 'Kami', and demanded the king and queen leave the kingdoms alone. The leaders didn't listen, of course, and they summoned their most elite fighters to execute him on the spot."_

"_After all the assailants were dead, the gold and silver swords were taken and kept by the king and queen. They continued their lives peacefully for a couple of weeks, but they soon found something strange: They were unable to have children."_

"_Immediately after noticing this, Oji had a dream where he was confronted by a strange figure holding the golden sword. The figure introduced himself as 'Kami' and told Oji: 'You cannot create that of your own, but you can take that of others.'"_

"_These dreams continued for the next three days, Kami giving Oji more and more information. Eventually, Kami told Oji exactly what he needed to do. He told him 'offer up the blood of the innocent with this sword. Their soul shall become your child.' Oji never heard from him again after that."_

"_Trusting in this mysterious creature, Oji formed the Kamines. Without telling his wife, he forced the church to offer up a girl to the god Kami. With everything in place, he raped the girl and killed her with the golden sword, condemning her soul to it. He then stabbed himself with the sword, and a month later, his wife was pregnant."_

"_This repeated three times, and the king and queen ended up with four beautiful children. Two boys and two girls. They were all happy, but the king couldn't run from what he'd done. Despite having killed four innocent girls, he felt no remorse. He focused on what he had gained from other people's losses, and that's what would eventually lead to his downfall..."_

"_Time passed, and the children grew into teenagers, then into adults. They lived relatively calm lives, but two of them held suspicions towards their father. One of the boys and one of the girls noticed he had a strange look on his face whenever he saw the golden sword. They suspected some kind of sorcery, so they looked deeper into the Kamines."_

"_It didn't take long for the two of them to figure out what he'd done to bring them into this world. Despite the shock of knowing they were born from bloodshed, they told their mother about it. At first Ojo couldn't believe it, but that disbelief soon turned into anger. Then rage."_

"_Ojo took the silver sword and gave it to her two children. She told them to run away from the kingdom with it. As far as they could go. They complied, fleeing the kingdom with shed tears. Meanwhile, Oji found out about the reveal and promptly murdered his wife with the golden sword."_

"_He turned his two remaining children to his side, making them undergo the same ritual he did to have them. He gave his son the golden sword with his wife's soul inside and had him stab himself with it. The siblings were forced into incest to have their mother reborn into the world. Oji had been corrupted by Kami."_

"_Meanwhile, the two children who escaped took their mother's maiden name, 'Burondo'. They traveled the world, trying to find some way to stop their father. They went to countless kingdoms, searching for someone to help them, but came up empty. Eventually, they were found and captured by their father's men, and promptly taken back to the castle."_

"_The girl was raped and murdered by her father, while the boy was just murdered. Their souls trapped inside the golden sword, they took a gamble. They sacrificed their souls to the sword, leaving only their beliefs behind. When the king remarried and had children, one child was evil, while the other was good."_

"_The family tree continued on for generations like this. Within every group of four children, one was always against the ritual. Every generation, they'd pass down the knowledge of what Oji did in hopes that eventually, someone would be able to stop the cycle. The families of Shiroi and Burondo were enemies, but very close. The Shirois were always evil, while the Burondos were half good."_

"_However, recently in the tree, the Burondos took a heavy hit. The one good child of the Burondos rejected her good parent and sided with the Shirois. The next generation, only a speck of good remained in a Burondo child."_

Okane stopped speaking, finishing his absurd story. I couldn't say anything in response. It didn't make any sense. Ancient cults? Souls in swords? You've got to be crazy in order to believe it. But, despite this, I knew that he was telling the truth deep down.

"Y-you expect us to believe something like that?!" Tiffany exclaimed. "You'd have to be crazy to think that!"

"I'm not so sure about that..." Mc put his hand to his chin. "It's not much crazier than Alex being from another world."

Tiffany looked at him as if he were crazy but couldn't come up with a rebuttal.

"For the time being, let's just assume he's telling the truth." I said. "Now Okane, if you could continue?"

Okane gave me a small, thankful smile.

"Now, this is where you all come in." He told us. "Or more specifically, where Monika comes in."

It took a few seconds for what he said to sink in, and another few for me to be surprised by it. I was involved in this cult? Since when? How was I a part of it?

"What are you talking about?" I asked, barely able to keep my voice level. Okane waited before telling me.

"You're a Shiroi." He revealed.

"W-what?" I stuttered. It was unlike me to do so.

I couldn't believe it. What Okane said didn't seem real. Everyone else had the same expression as me. The shock was immense, and I just outright couldn't process it.

"T-there's no way that Moni is Shiro's sister!" Sayori exclaimed. "She's Monika Kontororu!"

"Last names don't really mean much when it comes to the modern Burondos and Shirois." Okane lamented. "Monika, tell me. How much of your childhood do you remember?"

I opened my mouth to respond, trying to deny the possibility, but found myself unable to answer. No matter what, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember. When I tried, I found an entire section of my life missing from my memory. I didn't know why I had no recollection of my childhood, until I thought of something.

"H-how long...?" I shuddered. "H-how long have I been alive...?"

My eyes widened at the realisation that I didn't even know how old I was. My physical age was 18, but my mind didn't stop aging throughout all the resets. I knew I grew up normally like anyone else, but I couldn't remember anything about it. It was as if my memory just cut off and I couldn't remember anything prior to the Literature Club.

"It's been so long that you've forgotten." Okane said. I looked over at him.

"You don't mean..." I trailed off, terrified of this new discovery. Okane nodded depressively.

"W-what do you mean?" Sayori looked between Okane and I concernedly. "W-what did Moni forget?" Okane sighed.

"The human mind, while expansive, can hold a limit of a few thousand years-worth of memories." Okane explained. "While it isn't scientifically confirmed, it's believed that the brain will delete older memories to make up room for new ones if this limit is reached."

"So, you are saying that... Monika is over one thousand years old?!" Yuri exclaimed.

"And possibly even older." Okane confirmed grimly. "After resetting so many times, she's lost count. Sometime along the way, she changed her name and severed all ties with the Kamines without her even knowing it."

I buried my head in my hands and hunched over, going catatonic. I breathed heavily as tears fell down my chin. Gasping for air, my mind went into overdrive to comprehend the news. I could faintly hear Sayori calling my name, but none of it I could understand.

'_Calm down, calm down, calm down...' _I repeated this phrase in my head over and over whenever it allowed me some space.

I was completely focused on steadying my breath, slowly calming myself down. Eventually, my senses returned, and I was once again aware of my surroundings. I heard screaming. Panic. Hostility.

I opened my eyes to find Tiffany trying to choke Okane out, screaming at him, demanding he tell her 'what he did to me'. This shocked me awake.

"Tiffany, stop!" I yelled. "He didn't do anything!"

Tiffany froze in place, her hands still around Okane's throat. Okane's expression suggest terror, but that she was no longer putting any pressure on his windpipe. Then, slowly, she let go of his throat, sitting back down with an accusatory expression.

"Moni, are you okay?" Tiffany asked me.

"I'm fine. Just a little surprised." I responded. "Now, Okane... what's your story? Why are you telling us all this?" Okane jumped a bit at the question.

"I... want to help you stop the Kamines." Okane answered, suddenly confident. "As a cult, they have their own prophecies. One was that, one day, a visitor from another world would come along to stop them. Depending on what they did, this visitor would either die from a third family, or destroy all three. I believe that Alex is this visitor."

"Wait, how did you know Alex was from another world?" Natsuki inquired, sounding suspicious. "He never told anyone other than Monika until today."

"After seeing what he was capable of, my mother got suspicious." Okane explained. "It was nothing more than a theory up until recently. If I'm being completely honest, I wasn't even sure if he was the one until you just said it."

"So, you just... came here without any proof that we'd be able to help you?" Mc asked, sounding puzzled.

"I had no choice. I didn't have any other options that didn't involve continuing to support the Kamines." Okane admitted. "The Kamines... they want to use my sister for the next sacrifice."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"T-they want to use Iine?!" I exclaimed. I hadn't known the girl for very long, but I knew she was quite innocent and soft-spoken.

"Yeah..." Okane hung his head, crying lightly. "As part of tradition, our leader will rape and kill her with the golden sword..." Suddenly, he stood up with a panicked expression. "Oh, fuck."

"What is it?" I asked. Okane looked back at me with scared eyes, like a deer caught in headlights.

"T-the gold and silver swords... a-are here, a-aren't they?" He stuttered.

"Yeah..." Mc responded, weirded out. "They're just over there. See?" He pointed towards the two swords propped up against the wall next to the back door. Okane followed his gaze and went wide-eyed.

"We need to get out of here. I just realised something..." Okane told us. "THEY'RE COMING!"

Okane burst off running towards the back door. He grabbed the two swords but froze as he looked out the glass door. He only stayed still for a second, but that second was just enough for something small to come in through the glass and hit Okane square in the chest. He fell over backward immediately and passed out, revealing the object to be a tranquilizer dart.

"Oh, shit!" Mc exclaimed. He rushed over to help Okane but was knocked away as a burly man wearing full black clothes and a smooth, black mast burst in through the glass door, shattering it instantly. Mc was knocked backward to the ground by the man and promptly shot with a tranquilizer dart.

"RUN!" Tiffany yelled, darting towards the front door.

Before she could even get halfway, the door was kicked in and more black-clad people came in. We soon found ourselves surrounded by these people in the living room, pointing real guns at us as opposed to tranquilizer darts. I looked around at these home invaders, then heard Natsuki squeak in fear. I looked down at her and followed her terror-filled gaze to reveal a man emerging from behind the other invaders.

"Why hello there, dear daughter." It was Hiran, looking just as evil as he did the last time.

He strolled over to us, examining each one of us with disturbing interest. It was like he was eyeing a prize he won at an auction. He looked down at Natsuki, fear in her eyes, and reached for her.

Tiffany slapped his hand away, earning every gun pointed at her.

"Don't you fucking touch Natsu." Tiffany said defiantly. Hiran had a flash of anger.

"You little..." Hiran suddenly slapped Tiffany so hard that she flew a couple feet away. "BITCH!"

Before I could react, Hiran grabbed his daughter and lifted her up, slamming her down on the coffee table. Natsuki yelled out in pain, but none deterred Hiran. He raised his arm and slapped Natsuki across the face, punched her in the stomach, kicked her in the head, you name it. It was a horrible sight to see, Natsuki screaming out in pain as her father abused her.

"THIS IS WHAT YOU GET, YOU LITTLE WHORE!" Hiran yelled at Natsuki as he beat her. "Now, for the main event!"

Hiran reached for Natsuki's leggings... closer... closer... the most horrifying sight of all.

"Sir, wait!" One of the masked men called. Hiran turned to the one who spoke up with a scowl.

"What is it? Can't you see I'm busy here?" Hiran angrily asked.

"They want to have them brought in untouched." The man pointed out. "It would be best to not do more until we return."

Hiran looked about ready to explode from rage, but reluctantly complied.

"Take them." He ordered. I felt a heavy blow to the back of my head, and fell over forwards.

My vision darkened...

My senses dulled...

My body shut down...

_Until I could no longer take it, and the world around me disappeared..._

End of Chapter 13 (Part 2)

_(Author's Note: It's been just over a year since I started Not This Time, and I'd like to say how much fun I've had writing this series. Despite what you may think, not even I knew the story would come to this point. I never intended for there to be a cult or anything like that early on, and it feels magical to have gotten this far, even if it's only been a year. I started writing this when I was fifteen, and my seventeenth birthday is coming up this month. So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you who have read and enjoyed this story. I never imagined I'd get this far. Thank you.)_


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